


The Amalgamation of the House of El

by Shadhavar1126 (Chimera428)



Category: Castra, Kalex - Fandom, Supergirl (TV 2015), WLW - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon, Angst and Feels, Canon-Typical Violence, Christopher Reeve Superman Movies Reference, F/F, Family Drama, Femslash, Gen, Multi, Supergirl (TV 2015) - Freeform, super family, universe altered
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-25
Updated: 2016-08-02
Packaged: 2018-07-26 15:56:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 68,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7580650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chimera428/pseuds/Shadhavar1126
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The House of El had always been a strong one, going back eons on Krypton.  The house of El as it is known now on Earth however, has another origin story entirely.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Year of the Superman

**Author's Note:**

  * For [astradanvers](https://archiveofourown.org/users/astradanvers/gifts).



> HUGE appreciation for [@AstraDanvers](http://astradanvers.tumblr.com/) who put a single little plot bunny in my head with no more than a 'what if...' which somehow escalated from a simple point of origin story alteration to an entire season spanning epic of a Supergirl fic. Not to mention constant feedback and if you haven't read her fics you need to get on it already!
> 
> I also blame them for Castra and Kalex in this one as I have only ever written "General Danvers" and "Supercat" fics up to now. So yay challenge!
> 
> No beta, mistakes are my own.

“Kitten.” Her lover tried, their voice low and thick with desire as Cat turned her features away, finger caught between her teeth, eyes lost before they are hidden away behind closed lids. “Cat.” Her lover spoke again, forcing her body upward in a beautiful arc at the same time. “Look at me.” Her lover's words were a breathless plea against her skin. “Please.” 

Cat's eyes fluttered open and with the last of her conscious effort she turned her focus back to the one deliberately trying to merge the two of them together with long strokes and full body caresses to her surprisingly deprived being. 

Her breath was coming in pants now, lips broken from the efforts of their love making. On the edges of her awareness she contemplated when this little tryst had evolved from 'just sex' to a weekend full of lovemaking and uncharacteristic domesticity. She clung to her lover fiercely then, as the muscles around her waist grew tight and the rhythmical surge of her hips became uncontrolled and tremor ridden. 

Green eyes to rival her hazel ones widened impossibly so, until they were almost black and Cat swore she was being devoured by them. Her lungs seized, pulling a sharp breath inward as her lover brought her once more to the edge only to fling them both off it without thought or consequence.

“Cat?”

With an uneasy feeling Cat Grant was ushered from her reverie when her doctor returned to the room, the remnants of that weekend that now felt like forever ago drifting from her memory as a smile broke over her OBGYN's features. 

“Congratulations.” 

“For?”

“You're pregnant.”

Cat's expression immediately drew the smile from the doctor's features, the realization of what that expression meant sinking in. She had seen it enough, though usually it applied to much younger and otherwise single mothers. 

“I,” Cat swallowed, gripping the table with white knuckles as Jennifer stepped closer, placing a hand on the other woman's shoulder. 

“Do you, need a consult for term-”

“No.” Cat shook her head once, vehemently. “No.” Her voice quieting. “I just hadn't expected.” She swallowed back her emotions, biting at her bottom lip. “We're getting divorced.” She allowed, not bothering to look up at her friend. 

“Oh Cat, I'm,” well she wasn't entirely sorry. She had seen the marriage between Cat and her second husband deteriorate after Adam had turned ten. “I'm here.” She reached back, pulling her stool over and settling down in order to look up at the other woman. 

Trembling fingertips worked their way under Cat's eyes, pushing the wetness threatening to spill there away. She took the offered Kleenex a moment later, dabbing at her nose and again sweeping a knuckle across the bottom of her eyes a second time.

“Are you sure about this, I know Adam's fourteen and that can't be easy, and you know how I feel about it all but a new baby just might pull-”

“Adam wants to stay with Matthew.”

“He's not his-”

“He adopted him when he was two, he's just as much his father as anyone.” Cat let out a huff of a sigh, looking heavenward before wiping at her eyes again. “How far?”

“I'm sorry?”

“Along.” Cat sighed again, edging a sniffle behind the cover of her Kleenex as she looked with red rimmed eyes to Jennifer. 

“That, I'm not exactly sure. There's some anomalies in your blood work and I could guess but it might be a bit off.” 

“Is there something else I should know about?” Cat stiffened slightly at the mention of anomalies. 

“Any pregnancy for a woman just shy of forty can present any number of complications Cat. With you however no. The anomalies are actually good, elevated oxygen levels, proper hormonal balance. Your blood pressure is down among a few other things. It's as if being pregnant has jumped started your system into some sort of super spiral of good health.” 

“Is that the silver lining? It still doesn't answer the question.”

“I'd say anywhere from six to twelve weeks? Give or take”

Cat looked equally confused, running through her more intimate encounters over the past two months. There had only been one other time with Matthew, a mistake wrought from too much alcohol and too much emotion that they both had regretted. They'd been separated for nearly four months, it was after that little relapse that he had left the divorce papers on her nightstand, like cash for a whore. 

Cat herself hadn't been a saint by any means once their marriage had begun to turn, building the foundation of your empire had its fair share of time consumption but she hadn't expected Matthew's eye to wander so soon. She had put up with it for over a year before she herself even considered breaking her marriage vows. Even then it had taken an extremely unexpected encounter with someone to even consider that affair. But there was no way she had gotten pregnant from that. 

“Earth to Cat.” Jennifer singsonged pulling the other woman's attention back to here and now. “Hello again, I've sent the list of supplements and vitamins to your assistant and hopefully he'll have them ready for you when you get back to that new office of yours. Also, no drinking, smoking and we're going to have to stop your SSRI's and attempt to regulate their effects with natural supplements.”

“That didn't work with Adam.” Cat protested, feeling her anxiety prick slightly at the thought of what her previous pregnancy had been like when her prior barbarian of a doctor had cut her off everything cold turkey and told her she was just being hormonal after Adam was born and she'd had her breakdown. 

“This time will be different, I promise, I'm here and I'll be on call twenty four seven. There's so many more natural options from fourteen years ago geared towards expectant mothers in the same situation.”

“What's that Jenn? Anxiety ridden, prone to triggered event depression, mother complex driven women with a teenager who doesn't want to live with them all while going through a second divorce? I was unaware there was such a market.” Cat snarked running her hands through her hair thereafter.

“Don't answer that.” Cat cut the other woman off when she took a breath an with another resigned sigh finally let it all sink in. 

“Can I do anything else? You're more than welcome to come stay with me for the weekend, Grace is out of town for a design project. You could gather your thoughts, be in good company.”

“Don't be surprised if I just show up with an offer like that.” Cat let out another breath, puffing her cheeks out in the process before slipping off the medical bed as Jennifer stood. Without prompt she wrapped her longtime friend in a firm hug until she felt Cat stiffen. 

“If only I'd known when we were in college that you were such a lady killer.” Cat allowed as she stepped back.

“Yes well, you would never have met Jackson and had Adam or be the rising media mogul you are now.” Jennifer said before Cat could finish her sentence. It had been no secret by the time they were sophomores that Jennifer had fallen for Cat but was too terrified to tell her. Time passed, the world changed, she met her wife and started her own practice and somehow along the way she and Cat had rekindled their friendship by happy accident.

“Never say never.” Cat mused, though the smile never quite reached her eyes. “One more thing?”

“Name it.”

“Don't tell Matthew, no matter what. He's already getting Adam and his divorce.”

“Cat, you have to fight, he's your son-”

“Just.” She tightened her grip on Jennifer's biceps to emphasize her point. “Please.”

There was a long series of heartbeats between them before she nodded. “I promise.” 

The two separated after another shorter hug, Cat leading the way until Jennifer reached across to open the main office door for her. “I usually have dinner ready around seven.”

Cat smiled genuinely, however brief. “Somethings never change do they.” With a turn she was gone, making for the parking garage.

\-------

“C'mon Kit Cat push.” Jennifer shouted over the bustle of the private delivery room.

“Call me that one more time and I'm going to rip your ponytail off!” Cat groaned again and sat back, only to have a nurse urge her back up as Jenn pushed her knees up towards her shoulders. 

“I'd love to see you try in this position. Now grab hold here and here,” Jenn fixed Cat's hands around her own knees. “And push Cat.”

“You said there'd be time.” Cat panted, sitting up with a grunt and letting out a sharp cry of pain. “For the epi-”

“And just like you, this kid's headstrong and wants out, right now. So take a breath and when you feel pressure, push like you mean it!” 

Jenn sat back down, adjusting the privacy curtain before looking back up. “Here it comes Cat, one, two push!” 

Cat took a deep breath, baring down before letting out a scream the likes of which she wasn't even sure she was capable of. 

“That's it, push-push-push-push, almost there.” Cat let out a whine followed by an exhausted exhale just as the cries from her baby breached the ears of those in the room and she collapsed back onto the bed.

Jenn was quick to get him wrapped up, cleaning out his mouth and wiping down his face before securing him in a blanket. “Beautiful little man, let's go see mommy.” She cooed, turning back to Cat who locked gazes with the crystalline blue eyes of her newborn son.

“Hi Carter.” Cat uttered, the tips of her fingers touching his cheek before her head lulled to the side and her heart monitor flat-lined.

“Cat..Cat!” Jenn handed the baby to the attending before dropping the bed down flat with a loud bang. “Get me O2 and the crash cart now!” She pried at her leads, clearing a space. “Don't you dare Cat, don't you fucking dare.”

Two hours later and Cat blearily became aware of herself and someone else in the room, hovering, gently touching her cheek. “Kitten.” With a sharp inhale and flutter of her lids she was left with an open balcony door and Jennifer standing at the far end of the room from her.

“Welcome back.” 

“Wh..did you call me?”

“I said, welcome back.”

Cat frowned, touching her cheek before trying to sit up.

“I wouldn’t do that.”

As soon as Jennifer’s words registered so did the pain, forcing her back down into the cushions. 

“What?”

“Your hard head in there apparently has quite the kick, or so I can only assume, you got a little more torn up in there than I knew until-”

“Thank you for the medical lesson Jenn but I’ll just read a report later or something.” She looked up at the ceiling, catching Jenn’s movements out of her periphery. “Where’s my son?”

“He’s fine, he’s in the nursery, I’ll have the nurse bring him in.”

Cat swallowed and nodded faintly, tears slipping past the corner of her eyes. Jennifer continued to approach her until a shattered breath echoed around them much to Cat's dismay.

“Easy.” Her friend began, not touching the other woman yet. When she wasn't so overwhelmed she knew Cat would reach out first. “You're breathing. Your heart is beating.” Cat fumbled for her and Jennifer immediately took her hand, amazed at the strength in the other woman's grip. “Carter is amazing, the nurses are in love already. You've got quite a road ahead of you with that little heart-breaker.”

Cat let out a broken laugh, more tears spilling from her eyes that she let fade into the pillow on either side of her head. “He's all I have.” She let out roughly. 

“You have Ad-”

“They left.” 

Jenn felt her jaw flex, schooling her features from showing her immediate anger. 

“Mathew moved to Opal City three months ago, he came and got Adam once school finished.”

“Jesus Cat, that was a month ago.”

“Don't remind me.” She sniffled, blinking her eyes a few times in an exaggerated manner to drain them of tears. “My mother blames me for all of it as usual, if I'd been a better mother, a more devoted wife. I swear she still thinks Jackson's death was somehow my fault, and my first marriage and now all this.”

“That thing is an uber bitch who will never earn the 'mother' title with me.” Jennifer perched on the edge of Cat's bed, forcing the woman to lull her head in her direction on the pile of pillows to look at her properly. 

“Tell me you have help.” Cat remained silent, working her jaw a bit before letting out a heavy exhale. 

“Listen to me Kit Cat, you're stuck here for at least a week. You are going to rest, and spend time with your son, and you're going to let Grace and I take care of somethings for you.”

“Jennifer I ca-”

“No. Enough. I know you, and I know how strong you are, but there are times when even the strongest of us need help. This is one of those times, whether you like it or not.” Cat turned her features back to the ceiling then, letting out a dark sigh. 

“Clearly we're in the not category.”

Before Cat could reply the door to her room opened, revealing a small transparent cart with it own set of monitors and a nurse. “Not to interrupt”

“Of course not.” Jennifer allowed, giving Cat's hand a firm squeeze before pushing to a stand. “We were just finishing up.” She turned back to the prone woman, her expression serious. “I'll be back in a few hours. The staff here has my orders concerning you so don't even think about trying anything Kit Cat.” Jenn winked before slipping out, halfway down the hall and she was already on her cell phone to her wife.

Meanwhile back in her room the nurse set Carter's bed up against his mothers, securing his monitors and portable crib accordingly. “He really is a beautiful baby, and those eyes, never seen a baby's eyes that clear before.” The nurse, gently lifted him from his bed with very little fuss from him and passed him over into the cradle of his mother's arms. 

“The crib is on an automated system, the controls are on the railing here. This one slides his crib to you so you can place him back in it if you get tired. This is the temperature monitor for the base, and this of course calls me or anyone nearby to come in here.” She smiled gently and nodded. “I'll be at the station until eight.”

“Thank you, Lana.” Cat responded absently after having caught her name badge when she passed Carter over. 

Like a whisper the woman was gone, leaving Cat alone with her newborn son. He fumbled in his swaddling and with gentle movements she opened his blanket and adjusted her hospital gown until they were skin to skin and in that moment felt her body relax. Carter himself seemed to stop fussing and quieted almost instantly, his brilliant blue eyes turning up to her.

Cat couldn't help the prideful smile breaking across her lips, her fingertips gingerly tracing his features as she watched his reaction to her touch. “Hello my brave little man.” She spoke quietly, her voice rumbling through her chest and into his tiny body. “Carter,” his eyes widened and he nuzzled closer. “Jackson Grant.” His lips curled, and his tiny voice bubbled up between them. “I'm sorry, so sorry you've only got me, that leaves you to be the man of the house. Now I know that's a lot to ask, and probably unfair to tell you. I don't expect you to take to it immediately, but I feel you should know now before we get further along here.” 

Carter blinked at her slowly, reaching for her face and tapping at her mouth with his lack of coordination before bouncing his little hand against her throat until she ushered her finger within the tiny grip of his fingers. “I can't promise I'll be the best mother, but I'm going to try, if you're okay with that.” He squeezed but she took it as a simple moment of his motor reflexes firing.

\-------

Far away, hidden from the alien nature of this planet, and even their own people, a lone Kryptonian nestled a sliver of a crystal into a projection device before placing the object on the floor. With an air of impatience they waited until the device came to life and the AI consciousness along with it.

“What is the matter?” The ghost supplied, moving quickly to the Kryptonian who shied away from their phantom touch. 

“It is distressing that you ask that -now.-” The Kryptonian stepped away, the anger of their glare evident with the glow of their eyes. 

“You exhibit the abilities Jor-El spoke-”

“Yes.” The Kryptonian hissed. “As do the others. We grow stronger every passing day.”

The ghost studied the Kryptonian carefully, drawing their hands behind their back as they strode cautiously closer. “There's something you are not disclosing young one.”

The endearment earned the ghost another glowing glare, to which it merely held a hand up in pause. There was a scrape of a boot as the Kryptonian moved further away, taking to pacing the room in a mirror of the projected ghost across from them “Are we compatible with the humans?”

“In what manner?”

“Medically.”

“Again, in what manner. If you have questions that require proper answers you must ask the proper questions and stop being so resistant and reliant upon obfuscation.” The Kryptonian let out a dark sigh of resignation, turning to face the projection for a moment before continuing to pace in the opposing direction. 

“I know my organs are not compatible, I can not give a human my heart,” the Kryptonian struggled with the word but refused to look at the ghost watching them attentively. “Or my blood and expect them to adapt.” 

“This is, mostly, correct.” Upon seeing the shift in the Kryptonian's attention the projection continued. “It is not as if we have had a multitude of opportunities to test the compatibility of humans and Kryptonian bodies and their intricate inner-workings. There are elements that for some humans, could be extremely compatible, while others violently prone to rejection. It is no different for those within their own compliment. Different blood types do different things, organs are compatible but rejected after implantation-”

“If I wanted an entire medial lesson I could have visited a hospital.” 

The ghost sighed, while the Kryptonian was distracted with their inner thoughts, they had stepped closer and closer with each turn of pace. “Then be specific.”

“Children.” The Kryptonian stopped then, as did the ghost, the pair staring each other down within the ever growing weight of that implication. 

“It is not impossible. Prone to complication, but not impossible.” The ghost allowed cautiously, before finally stepping close enough to touch the Kryptonian's cheek. “Tell me.”

The Kryptonian searched the painfully familiar face before them, even leaned into the faux warmth of their phantom touch, and for a single moment, they allowed themselves to believe that their world wasn't lost. That the ghost in front of them was real, just like before, always before. 

“The codex lied.” They released breathlessly, emotion coating their throat and dropping the Kryptonian's tone an octave or two. “It told me, it told us our house would die with me.”

“But your-”

“They are not my family, not my line, we share blood but it is not -mine-. I have not bled it, it has been bled by others and wrought from fruitful pairings.” The Kryptonian shied away from the touch, backing up a step or two. “I was told mine was poison, that it would bring down my father's house, destroy my own and that I would never have-”

“On Krypton.” The ghost pressed, moving closer. “The Codex was a dangerous tool, inappropriately used by those in power for too long. The House of El, your house, warned us all of this and no one listened . You have not brought down anything, you still live, you still carry us, all of us inside you.” The ghost set their hand upon the Kryptonian's heart, forcing their eyes back to them.

“I have a son.” The Kryptonian whispered, the emotion smothering the oxygen from their lungs. “A son, who will never carry my name, never be held in my arms, I cannot, I … I will ruin him.” 

“You cannot, you would never do harm to any child, much less your own. Why, why are you-”

“His mother does not know, by Rao even I did not know that was possible. Until I felt him, I -felt- him, and her. She was dying and I, I saw him, and her and I knew.”

“Young one.”

The Kryptonian sucked in a breath, shaking their head. “I have destroyed my house, I broke my bonds, just as the codex said I would. I have a hybrid child. He will not be looked upon ever in the favor of his Kryptonian brethren or his human kind.” Tears fell unbidden and without prompt the ghost drew the Kryptonian to them, the pair wrapping themselves up in one another. 

“You must be strong, for him, for her, for those that have made it with you.” With that reassurance the Kryptonian crumbled to the hard floor. “What? What is it? What else ails you so horribly-”

“I have not found her or him. I have prayed and prayed to Rao and even so much as cursed him but I could not find them. I have not found the children of the House of El. It does not feel right or fair, to have a son, -my- son, when I have lost you and your future. I am so sorry my Luna.”

“My Star, tell me, please, tell me you have not been looking for children.”

The Kryptonian sniffled slightly, looking utterly confused and broken before nodding. “Of course I have, Kal-El is but a baby, Kara had only just reached double digits. You told me, you sent that message just before, before everything was destroyed what Jor-El and Zor-El had done, that if I ever made it to Earth to find them.” 

“Astra, my dear sweet little sister, Kal has been here for nearly twenty five Earth years.” 

“How? That is impossible. You could not know this, you were with me this entire time!” 

“Jor-El, his presence, his signal it is here, it knows of me, we know of each other. Kal-El is a man, and-”

“Kara, is Kara grown, is she here?” 

Alura slowly shook her head, curling up in front of the mirror of her sister. “I do not know, nor does he, or he will not share.” 

Astra sniffled then, before reaching over and setting her forehead against the ghost of her sisters. “I have been so lost without you.”

“We will find her. Kal-El has made it, you are here, which means she is here. She has to be. By Rao's light we will find her.”


	2. The Years Before We Fight or Flight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We divert from canon a slight bit episode-wise starting now, I tried to write all of this with the idea that you could easily watch the show and read this and have most of it all be settled in the same universe.

By the time Carter was five, Superman was a household name. There was a part of Cat that regretted leaving Metropolis in what she still amusingly dubs, 'the year of the Superman.' She was the one initially assigned to meet with the President at Metropolis airport that fateful night when the Man of Steel had appeared and saved Lois and that helicopter pilot from the Daily Planet's rooftop. Instead she had woken up the next morning completely oblivious to the world wrapped in a tangle of sheets and deceptively strong arms. 

The oddest of situations can set one onto a path of recollection, in what feels like a lifetime, all the answers to that question of 'how did I get here, to this moment' spill forth from the mind's eye in a matter of seconds. 

When she had first woken up that fateful morning, she swore she was alone, atypical of that kind of sordid behavior. There was always someone waking up alone and she had sworn to herself it would never be her. With a sleep idled breath inward she had pushed herself up from the bed, hair, much longer then, tussled about in all manner of directions as she looked for the woman, a quiet voice in the back of her mind whispered, Cat was ruined by. 

“You should stay asleep.” The other woman's voice bit into her skin and sent bursts of red across her throat and chest. Instantly her mind supplied her with heated memories from so few hours prior and she felt the cage of her ribs almost seem to cave in on themselves with the arousal four simple words sparked in her. 

“You do not seem the type to get very much of it.” The dark haired woman was beset against the frame of their hotel room window, the sun casting an almost ethereal halo around her until she stepped into its light. 

“I get plenty.” Cat turned, pulling the sheets with her as she pushed her way against the head board, resting her head against it as she took in the sight in front of her. “Not sure I could stay that way, what with you looking like that.” 

The other woman had raised a brow at her before tipping her head, stepping closer and sinking onto the edge of the bed itself. “I do not understand what you are implying.” 

“Astra, if you keep walking around naked like that.” Cat warned, twisting the sheets around her torso as she let her mind wander.

The woman in question merely turned the corner of her mouth up before crawling further forward onto the bed until she was nose to nose with the other woman. “I was merely taking in the morning, whether naked or not should make no difference Kitten.” Astra chanced a glance downward, seeing the twist of Cat's fingers before she shifted her weight onto one hand, the other reaching up to pull at the sheet between them. 

Cat was reluctant at first, her grip tightening on the sheet until Astra blinked her eyes back up to her. She could've sworn she heard the woman's voice -inside- her head telling her to let go that she did.

That was how she had missed out on Superman and his arrival, how Lois Lane became an equally household name in Metropolis and ultimately had started her on the course she was spearheading within the confines of National City. 

Interesting that she would find herself, these five years later, in desperate need for that caped hero.

“I said give me the bag lady.”

“Mommy?”

“It's alright Carter, just be still and keep hold of mommy baby.” 

Cat stood with a hand up between her and the man pointing a gun at her and her son, her free arm wrapped around behind herself and holding fast to the young boy's shoulder as she kept him as much behind her as she could manage. 

“Give me the bag!” He twitched, the gun shaking between them as he looked down either direction of the alley he had cornered the two into. 

“Give me a second you're scaring my son!” She shouted, surprised at her own demands but here focus was Carter, not disentangling her purse from her shoulder and passing it over to the guy, no matter how threatening he was. 

He pulled back on the hammer of the gun then, taking a dangerous step closer and jutting the nuzzle against her chin before grabbing at her son with his free hand. “The bag or the kid lady, three, two-”

The man never reached the next number, instead he was grabbed away from both of them and tossed across the alley. In his surprise mid-flight he pulled the trigger, causing Cat to scream and turn towards her son, attempting to shield him from harm. 

Unseen behind her, her would be hero grabbed for the bullet just before it tore through Cat's back. Normally she would never have intervened, wouldn't have made herself known to this new version of the woman she met in Metropolis. Certainly she would never have exposed herself to her, or that of her own son like this. But there she was, locked in place, fist warm from the projectile she had caught within it while strikingly blue eyes stared up at her in wonder from around his mother's hip. She knew those eyes, had seen them in her nephew with his pictures posted everywhere and in her niece so long ago. 

“Carter.” She whispered his name, completely lost in him until his eyes went wide and his arm began to rise in warning. Her own eyes widened and her heart latched itself to the top of her throat when she caught a gleam of another bullet racing towards the boy knowing she wasn't going to be fast enough to stop it. She felt more bullets bounce off her back, heard the shout from Cat against the wall as she dropped down and wrapped Carter up in her arms as tight as she could and all Astra could do was stare at the bullet bouncing on the pavement at their feet.

In a burst of super speed she leapt for the man, hauling him up effortlessly before taking to the air with him in a rage. The man screamed and begged for her to put him down which she did less than graciously through the roof of an abandoned building. “You shot my son.” She growled landing a few feet from him, eyes glowing with the depths of her rage sending the partially broken man into a scrambling panic backwards. 

“You. Shot. MY SON.” 

Weeks later, the rumors and warnings still echoed the alleys at night, especially anywhere near National City's ever rising media mogul Cat Grant, about some vigilante who was not beyond skinning someone alive should they cross their path.

\-------

“Luna.” Astra began, pacing in the depths of her underground bunker. Or what she had dubbed the bunker. Really it was a strategically built base of operations surrounded in lead with a deploy-able outer shell of weaponized Kryptonite. Not that Astra had the means as of yet to utilize such things but it was something she had needed to consider when she broke away from Non and his psychotic ravings not but two years after they arrived on Earth.

“My Star, tell me, why do you look so broken?”

“I killed a man.” Her voice was a hard edge, split with a growl as she turned away from the image of her twin. 

“Astra why, that is what-”

“He shot your nephew.” 

“Kal-El is impervious-” 

“Carter, -my- son.” 

Alura looked struck, even if she was only a construct of a formerly living being she was indeed the full consciousness of the woman. “Is... is he.” 

“I do not know, I saw blood and the bullet fall and-” Astra swallowed hard, wrapping her arms around herself. “By Rao Alura, I have always been capable, one does not become a General without being capable.” She pushed at her face, hiding evidence of her tears before turning to look at her own reflection nearing her. 

“Astra.” Her arms were around her sister in an instant, the language shared between them in that moment unspoken until long moments passed between them. 

“I broke that man. I destroyed every ounce of him.” She hugged her sister tighter, wishing again, for just one more moment she were actually here. “Then I killed him as a mercy.”

“My star.” Alura tried, running hands through Astra's hair before setting them apart enough to look at one another. 

“I have not changed, I am worse than I was on Krypton because I have all these powers. What good are they to me if I am reduced to-”

“Being a mother?”

Astra blinked, red rimmed eyes looking up at Alura. “Sister, you know just as much as I do that Zor-El and I defied everything our people stood for by sending Kara here. We knew what Jor-El was going to do with Kal-El and all of it too late to prove you were right.” 

“What are-”

“You were right, before, and now in your actions. I knew it the day we sent Kara here, when I sent you that message. You were right. And Zor-El and I acted like parents, fiercely protective at any cost to ourselves, for Kara. Your home was your child, you fought, bled and killed for it and I sent you away. Only to become the hypocrite you labeled me in anger when it came to my own child.” 

“Alura I was-”

“Hurt, broken and knew you were right. About Krypton, about everything. I should have listened, as your family, as Zor-El did his brother and I am truly sorry that I did not. So I will not let you stand here and wallow in your actions. They are done. You can not undo them, you must learn and move forward. It is in the way that we move forward from events such as these that reflect our true character Astra. Now search, deeply within yourself, you are connected to your blood, you know if he is alive or not.”

Astra nodded slowly, studying her sister carefully before drawing in a deep breath. She closed her eyes and let out the air in her lungs slowly, touching upon something deep inside her body before startling back into awareness. 

“Alive.” She murmured, eyes cutting to Alura. “He is alive.” Astra almost laughed, the weight in her chest lifting some degree. 

“Then you can connect with him.” Alura spoke, stepping closer. “If you are connected to him you can connect to Kara. She is your blood, through me, as twins you know you can find her now.”

It was Astra's turn to look struck, her shoulders dropping with her sister's words. “There is much we must speak upon.” Astra pulled herself away from her sibling, moving to the nearby table and the maps lain across it and a single town underlined in red. 

“My Star what is it?”

“Midvale.” Astra pointed to the map then back up at Alura. “It is where Kara is now.”

Sheer relief came over the other woman, her expression lighting up just like it used to. “I knew she was here, I knew you would find her. Does Kal-El know? Is-” She stopped herself short, and Astra watched as the sudden realization of this new knowledge provided an influx of additional information from whom she could only assume was Jor-El.

“Kal... my nephew knew the entire time?”

Astra nodded slowly, watching her sister absorb the information Jor-El was feeding her from their nephew's 'fortress'. “He saved her.”

“He kept her from you, from us!”

“Luna. All Jor-El last knew of me was what was in the reports and that you sent me to Fort Rozz. Undoubtedly that was passed along to Kal-El when he came of age. He would never have brought her to me, not when I was still-.” 

“He could have tried.” Alura bit back, circling the table. “You should appeal to her and bring her back here.”

Astra grabbed a nearby set of files before tossing them onto the table across the map, letting their contents spill out in waves. Photos of Kara and the Danvers' littered the table, her smile, her laugh, how she had grown from when Alura had last seen her into the teenager she was now. There was even a photo of her flying at night, untouched by the darkness that had seemed to settle in any adult Kryptonian who had made it to Earth. 

“I can not do it. No more than I can take Carter from his mother.”

“But she would get to know- she would have her own family-”

“Who she saw taken away, she -saw- everything that happened Alura. To me, to our planet, to her entire way of life and being as she knew it until then. Kal-El is grown and completely new to her, this family the Danvers, they helped him and they will help her. They are good people. Honest and fiercely protective. They even have a girl near Kara's age, to allow her to grow, to be something or someone.” 

“What of you Astra, she is yours, I told you, in that message she is your daughter as much as mine, just as important as Carter.” 

“And like Carter, I will watch her, protect her, though she will need it less considering she is like any full blooded Kryptonian bathed in the yellow sun here.”

Alura had begun to say something, to interject, but stopped immediately, her expression wrought with fear.

“Alura?” The other woman refused to respond, her worry growing exponentially until Astra came to stand in front of her once more. “Alura!” 

“Go. Go now. The fortress, Jor-El will help you when you get there. He will make Kal-El see.” 

“What? What has happened?”

“Zod.” 

The name alone made Astra's veins run cold, he was the one she replaced, the one Non had idolized.

“Non is with him, and Ursa.” Alura cut her eyes to Astra, who didn't wait for any further prompt from her sister before she was out of the underground level of her facility and in the air, pushing the limits of her body in order to get to her nephew.

\-------

By the time Carter turned twelve, the world was a very changed place to be in. For every hero there was an equally devastating villain. Cat Grant was the prodigal Queen of National City, her expose on Supergirl and the relationship she had with Superman only skyrocketed his mother into even more fame and of course the public eye. He idolized them, Supergirl especially. Not just for who they were and what they could do but because of the relationship the hero of National City seemed to have with his mother. 

What said mother had failed to realize however, was his own affinity for those perpetuating justice within their city. One in particular who was not so publicly inclined, who hid in shadows and kept the evils of men in check in a manner that seemed all too knowledgeable. From the time he could remember there had always been a shadow around him and his mother. Something lingering just out of reach, just in the periphery that failed to materialize. Until he turned five, in the alleyway, when he was shot. 

Even now he reached up absently and rubbed at the place across his chest where the impact had left its black and purple markings on his skin but failed to kill him then. He remembered his mother bleeding, and a shadow and the rest just blurred away, as if he had the memories of something more but they refused to come into focus. 

Not unlike the figure who followed him or his mother around if they were out together after she got off work and he had been brought to the office. Or the words that fell into his mind that he knew but didn't at the same time. The same song that he and his mother would occasionally hum but neither could determine where they'd heard it or why it seemed to help calm them down. Certainly he never mentioned the shadow on their penthouse balcony that moved only after said figure thought he was asleep. 

It wasn't until the summer that he had finally had enough hiding, even if that was this individuals second nature, he still had yet to reason why him, why his mother. Was it a stalker like before? Was it someone his dad had hired? He knew the man had attempted to file for custody of him after his sixth birthday, citing some failing on his mother's part to even inform him that he had a second son. That he was suddenly deserving of a relationship with Carter, that Cat had deprived him of a legacy. Carter had only visited him once before the courts had gotten involved fully and designated the limited visitations. 

Even now, with their strained relationship, he was only privy to holidays with his dad. There was nothing overly wrong with Matthew, at least nothing that Carter could put his finger on. He was a decent man, married, again, to an equally devoted woman, he had another half sister and of course there was Adam. Yet to look at them, the pair seemed to favor their live with parent rather than the other. At first Adam had been cold and distant, as if Carter were a bug, which given the younger boy's affinity to take after his mother, wasn't difficult for the older to achieve. 

Until a couple of years ago, when Adam had been in his car accident, with Carter in the car. Neither of them seemed to remember much of anything but after that point Adam had looked at Carter differently. Treated him differently, seemed more than grateful to have him around, and when he had moved out of his father's home and into his own apartment, Carter had been the first person he gave a key to. Just in case. 

Tonight however he would see, he would test this shadow's abilities. Secretly a part of him wished it was one of the Supercousin's that had been following him around all his life. The next question would be why of course, but that could wait until he actually figured this all out. Kara, his mother's assistant, had just left under an hour ago while his mother had called and informed him she would be there by the time he was asleep. Only he wasn't intending on going to bed, at least not right now. 

With a determined nature he set out on to the outer balcony, it was large enough to rival some people's backyards, but it also provided plenty of places for one to hide. What he couldn't figure, aside from the Super part prior to now, was how they managed to get there night after night knowing he or his mother were inside or nestled comfortably in their beds. 

He'd placed cameras just outside, until one morning they were all re-positioned to catch a perfect view of the sunrise. He had tried alarms and motion detectors but to no avail. Either these things would be disabled somehow or would be just as in tact as they were where he left them. So here he was, walking outside, home alone, riddled with an almost sixth sense that whomever was watching was very nearby.

“I know you're out here.” He spoke, coming to stand in the center of their balcony, turning in a very slow circle. “I don't think you want to hurt me, otherwise you'd have already done it by now.” He watched carefully, looking for any sort of movement or giveaway that this shadow he had in his mind was actually there. 

“I'm not going to hurt you. I don't think I could even if I tried.” Carter said, still looking around slowly before his heart began to pick up at the intention of the next part of his plan. “And I really don't want to do this.” He cautioned, taking slow steps towards the edge of the balcony. “But I'm tired of looking for something and only seeing a black blur.” 

His hands fell to the edge of the glass of the balcony wall, trembling as they wrapped around the edge and he stood on a planter. He prayed to whomever would listen that he wasn't wrong and that this figure, whomever they were, was actually very, very nearby.

“I just want to talk to you, ask you some questions. You don't have to answer them if you don't want to.” He stood on the second tier of the planter, letting his hands leave the edge of the glass as he wavered for balance and turned to look out over National City. Silently he prayed over and over in his head until he finally whispered the mantra and bent his knees. 

“Please be there to catch me.” He took a deep breath and pushed off the planter, intent on leaping like some great diver into the air. 

Only he never went forward. Instead he was wrapped up in strong arms and pitched backward before he was rushed into his home and left to fall on his bed face first. 

“What were you thinking?!” Astra's voice was booming, “What if I was disposed elsewhere!?”

“So it is you!” Carter flailed and bounced over, realizing all the lights were off and his curtains were drawn. In immediate hope of remedy the boy leaned over reaching for the lamp on his bedside table. 

“I will depart before you ever truly see me if you touch that light.” Astra warned, having placed herself in the farthest corner of his room, near the largest window should she need to get out fast. 

“But I-”

“Were trying to get yourself killed Carter!” 

“You know my name?!”

“It is not what I would have given you.”

“Uhm, yeah okay, but you know my name.”

“Carter Jackson Grant. Yes I know your name.”

“That's not fair. To know mine and me not to know yours.” 

“You can call me the General.”

Carter made a face, tucking his legs up underneath himself as he let his eyes adjust to the darkness, he knew she was in the corner and if he could just wait her out a little longer he might be able to make something more specific out about her. 

“You are displeased by this title?”

“It's very, formal.”

“It is what I was before now.”

“General What then?”

Astra rose a brow, head tipping ever so slightly as she studied him. “Just the General.” 

Carter shook his head. “That won't do.” He said, smirking faintly when he heard her scoff. 

“Explain why this is inadequate then.”

“It's too detached, it's not personal enough. You know my name, my full name, that's very important, and very personal.” Little did he know how true his words were to her. 

Astra considered giving him her name, just letting it out and dealing with the consequences but for whatever reason she just couldn't. Perhaps this was what Kal-El, and in a way Kara, had been trying to reiterate to her, about their identities, their true selves and just how important the people were who knew that. As well as how much danger it immediately put those people in with that knowledge. 

“What would you suggest then, Ze-rao?” She spoke the last portion of her question in Kryptonese, watching him latch onto the alien words before attempting to see her all the more in the dark. 

“Not sure I like being called Zero, but, you've sung to me before right? When I can't sleep or, or other times?”

“Yes.”

“Why not Nightingale. They sing at night, are one of the few birds to do so. It's not as harsh as the General but it is a little more inviting if you're not going to give me a name.”

“If it is what settles your curiosity enough, Ze-rao then you may call me that.”

Carter couldn't help but smirk, letting the inflections of her name for him settle in his mind, where they did indeed soothe a much larger portion of his curiosity, for now. 

“Since we're going by that, then Nightingale, keep calling me Zero and that way I know if's you and nobody else the next time I'm walking to school in the morning and see a shadow.” What he hadn't expected was for Astra to come closer to him in that moment, and rather forcefully. 

“Is there another?”

“What, another what?”

Astra crouched down, finding his eyes easily in the dark and remaining at his level, letting her voice be his guide to where she was in proximity to him. “Are there others that follow you?”

Carter blinked, swearing he saw a line of white in the darkness as she moved closer and only managed to catch the occasional reflection of her eyes rather than anything definitive. “I, I don't know. My mother is kind of important? She might have people watching me? It could just be a news paper or something. They followed me to school the day mom's interview with Supergirl came out.” He actually grinned. She could see the flash of those blue eyes so reminiscent of his older cousins' and the joy that lit his face at the mention of Supergirl. 

“You would not be wary to meet her?”

“Who Supergirl?! Goodness no, and I think, I don't know why, I think she's watched me too. Maybe, I dunno I could just be speculating, but it couldn't have always been you.” He hoped it had been, from the moment he was within this level of awareness with her he had felt connected to this Nightingale somehow. Deeper than the one he had felt when he first saw Supergirl, which his mother told him was just a crush or some similarly derived fascination. That however did not explain why he had always felt the same way about Superman. 

“Sorry.”

“You are apologizing for nothing?”

“I, I can get carried away sometimes.”

“You do not have to apologize to me. Being 'carried away' as you put it is nothing to be looked at negatively. Anyone who makes you feel otherwise.” She reached for him then, fingertips just a breath away from his cheek. “Has no proper sense of imagination or skills for reasoning.” 

“Carter? Are you asleep?”

His mother's voice shocked him, and Astra more considering she hadn't even heard the woman enter. “Goodnight Ze-rao.” She whispered, putting a finger to his lips for him to be quiet before she simply seemed to jump into the air and disappear Carter for his merit, pushed his shoes off and yanked his over-shirt up before tossing it across the room into the laundry basket. With a burst of adrenaline he was under the covers and playing possum by the time Cat opened the door to his room. 

Astra herself took a deep breath, floating with her back pressed against the ceiling as she watched Cat below her, feeling her chest constrict almost painfully. She watched the other woman put a kiss to the boy's forehead and gently ruffle his hair before tucking the covers around him and slipping out. It was almost too much for her, how much she longed to just drop down and emulate the other woman's actions before slipping off somewhere in that exquisite penthouse with the woman. Lost to her thoughts and with the sliver of light from the open door, Carter was allowed a small peak at the woman hovering above him unnoticed before she slipped out of his room through the nearby window.


	3. How Does She Do It with a Livewire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Originally "How Does She Do It" was supposed to be the 4th episode followed by "Livewire" as the 5th but due to real world circumstances the order was flipped for airing. 
> 
> Since this is an AU I've set the episodes in the originally intended order so hopefully there's no confusion.

Kara stopped dead at Carer's phrase. “Say that again?”

“Ze-Ra-Oh”

“My son.” she whispered, then shook her head looking past Carter to Cat in her office then back to her tablet. “Carter, I need to run some errands for your mom.”

He furrowed his brow at her and looked around, wondering why she looked so pale. “Okay. You'll be back for settlers right? You said we could play while Mom was in her meeting.” 

“Huh? Wh- oh yes, that yes, I'll be, I'll be back. Winn, Winn!”

The man nearly fell out of his chair. “What?”

“I uhm, I have to run some errands for my, uh for Ms. Grant and my cousin, yes my -cousin- called, wanted to have a late lunch so, I need you to watch Carter until I get back.” 

He began to protest but Kara had already traded her files for her purse and had locked her desk. 

“Kara?” James stepped out of Cat's office, turning to offer Kara a new layout only to have her pass him as fast as her legs could carry her without implementing her super powers. “Where's she going?”

Winn shrugged and Carter just turned back to his homework.

“She just left, that's what happened Nightingale I swear. After a few hours she came back and just like she promised, Kara and I played Settlers and then mom brought me home. I waited until she was asleep and then I used the thing you gave me last time.”

“Ze-rao, the communicator I gave you was for emergencies only.” Astra paced inside his room quietly, she was already on edge from having received the notice from Carter thinking he was in trouble. 

“I needed to know something.” He said almost wordlessly, they had been having more and more of these clandestine meetings in his room or on the balcony when he was left alone for a short hour. Each visit having allowed the two to grow steadily closer to one another. In that time he realized he could nearly mouth words and yet she still heard him clearly.

“What was so important Ze-rao that you needed to use this? You frightened me more than you will know by using it.”

“What does it mean?”

“What, the signal? It means it is an emege-”

“Ze-rao.” He already knew the answer, and he knew she did, she had used it ever since their first meeting nearly six months prior. “Tell me.” He got very still, his eyes never leaving her now, his confidence had grown. She had seen to that, so had other avenues of his personality that even his mother had noticed. 

“It is just a nickname, like your Nightingale.” She tried, not looking at him, keeping an open ear for his mother across the hall.

“Superman never lies.”

“It is an earthly trait, and the world does not know who he truly is.” She feeds into his trap and the look on his face makes her want to bite her tongue off. “I did not. I-”

“It means son.” He pushed, even if her words stung him, his made her stop dead. “-My- son.” 

Astra swallowed hard, having stopped right in front of him with his translation. 

“Why would you call me that?” Carter's tone was harder, as if he were struggling with the depths of this realization and all the implications it had the potential for. “You said you had no children before Earth, we've talked to each other for weeks but you've been with me my entire life.” He stood up then, causing Astra to stiffen but not back away. 

“Why would you do that, when you said others like you were lost here, stranded, possibly captured or even dead but you watched me. You followed me.” Every word brought him closer, his tone wavering more and more until Astra felt her heart breaking.

“Carter.”

“Zero...Ze-rao... your son. When were you going to tell me I was your son?” His voice broke and with it so did Astra's resolve, in a burst of super speed she grabbed him up and flew him out the window so that his cries wouldn't wake his mother. She flew higher and higher, uttering all manner of things to him in English and Kryptonian until they broke through the clouds and were left with nothing but stars and darkness. 

“I knew it was you. When I was five, when Mom and I were in that alley. I knew. I just couldn't remember. I knew I didn't fit, that Matthew wasn't my dad.” His arms clung tightly to her, feet set atop her boots for stability. “I dunno how but I knew. Were you ever going to tell me?”

“I, was afraid.” Astra grasped for his features, forcing him to look at her. “I still am, if anyone knew, if my enemies, your mom's, any government. My son, my light. I would destroy this world if anything happened to you.”

“What about mom, did, do you, does she?”

Astra stroked his hair and simply shook her head. “This is not the time or place for those questions.” She placed a kiss to his forehead before he dropped his head and buried his features into her shoulder.

“I want to stay with you.” He allowed after his emotions finally settled, with them she had begun to drift them back down to his home.

“Ze-rao you can not, your mother-”

“For the holiday.”

“The what?”

“We have a break from school coming up soon. I want to spend it with you.”

“How?” Before she could even protest Astra was already trying to figure out just how far they might be able to go with all this. 

“It's not a lie. I'll tell everyone I'm going to visit my dad.”

“What about when they contact him to check on you?”

“Adam, Adam will help me. I know he will.”

“Ze-rao, I am not-”

“Please, I want to do this, I need to without everything else shutting me in. Just you and me, please.”

\-------

“Oh I'm sorry I didn't know it was such a burden being a grandmother.” Cat hung up here phone in disgust before shouting for her assistant, hearing the girl walk into her office not a second after.

After a bit of round about concerning lunch and Cat's usual diatribe about the wicked witch that was her mother Kara found herself volunteering to watch him. It was simply overnight, if she had to she could enlist Alex's help but how hard could babysitting him be exactly?

“My son, uh Carter.” Cat began, her entire body seeming to lessen in its tension. “He uh, well he's not a normal boy. Thank god. He's clever, and curious and like most gifted children he can be,” she searched the ceiling for the words before turning her focus back to her assistant. “Shy. Reserved. He needs special attention.”

“Oh Ms. Grant don't worry, he wouldn't be safer with Supergirl.” 

Even Astra had to laugh from her perch nearby, she had taken to being more of a gargoyle ever since Carter's last visit with her, while he was at school she kept finding reasons and excuses to go look after his mother, and for one reason or another was rather thankful she was within earshot for that whole conversation. 

Cat was different than she had been years ago, a little more stoic, a lot more sad, but when she talked about Carter, Astra could feel her own sense of pride in their son. There was a beep in her ear, pulling her attention from the two women as she answered. “Yes Calex?”

“Sorry to bother you Lady Astra, but I just received notification from one of our private defense contractors about a drone targeting one of their agents this morning. At first they thought it was a new variant of drone one of our sub-contractors had provided them but I informed them that no such prototypes were being considered.”

“Which organization Calex?”

“The Department of Extra-Normal Operations. Though their field agents typically pose as Federal Bureau of Investigation utilizing the holographic adjustment display badge-.”

“One of their agents, Danvers took down the Helgrammite, the Brave One” she interrupted, continuing upon Calex's confirmation of that fact. “I consulted for them prior, on how to handle a Kryptonian, among others have I not?”

“Indeed Lady Astra, they are one of our larger perpetrators of the technology you have adapted from the Fortress of Rozz. They are still under the United States Government supervision and budgetary constraints.” 

“The point Calex.” 

“They claim the technology in the remnants of the drone are alien.” 

Astra shifted her jaw, pushing off from her perch into a swan dive only to catch herself a few feet from the ground and float in step like a feather until she walked out from the alley way she had dove into headed towards the entrance of her building. “Calex, I need the footage from the city, get me times, find that drone and trace it back to who it belongs to.”

“Yes Lady Astra, I shall have it by the time you reach your office.”

No sooner was she midway through the building did she feel the axis of the elevator shift before shutting down completely. “For Rao's sake.” She pushed through the ceiling, following the shaft to the top before opening the elevator doors herself. She was immediately met with Calex who floated out of her office. 

“What happened?”

“A bomb Lady Astra.”

In a flourish they were in her office, the large display screen built into her desktop coming to life as Calex interfaced with the multiple live feeds they had planted across the city. “Is she there yet?”

“Just arrived.” No sooner was she informed of her niece's presence on scene the display came to life in front of her. Utilizing their own technologies, Calex was able to project a three hundred and sixty degree vantage of the scene going on downtown. 

“There, another drone. Isolate and track.”

“Signature, fiber optic relay, specialized chip set, only one known prototype to exist, not listed for production, not listed for purchase. We had an option brought to us about this for investment but the creator dropped out of the deal at the last minute Lady Astra.” 

“Who?”

“Maxwell Lord of Lord Technologies.” 

“Forward the information to the D.E.O., isolate the signature and track it just in case we have more incidents.”

“Yes Lady Astra.”

“And get me everything on Lord.”

Astra found herself so wrapped up in her investigation into Lord and his empire that she completely lost track of time. Knowing that Cat would be alone tonight, accepting that award of hers, Astra had fully intended on showing up at the ceremony and surprising the woman. Carter had been attempting to encourage her into being more spontaneous and try to find some method with which to interact with Cat when she was actually awake. That was until she pulled up her interface on her table, two red blips populating on the screen.

“Calex! What is this.”

“The signatures you asked me to trace from-”

“More bombs, he set more bombs.” She strapped her armor over her suit in a heartbeat and activated the K-Shield. “Do not stop tracking, and tell me where Kara is!” She didn't wait for Calex to answer as she leapt off her balcony and shot into the night sky.

“Lady Kara is due East, headed towards National City airport, the train is unattended and Master Kal-El is in attendance with Ms. Lane at Ms. Grant's ceremony.”

“Give me exact coordin-”

“Master Carter is also registering at the train station.”

Astra felt her blood run cold, and pushed herself faster. “How close?!”

“To-”

“Kara! Calex, how close am I to Kara, she's closer to the train station given her trajectory, I can take the airport.”

“The DEO-”

“CALEX!! Break through her signal with the DEO when I'm close enough.”

“Three, two, one.. go ahead Lady Astra.”

“Kara.” Astra tried, pushing herself harder as she saw the girl stop mid-air when her voice hit her ears.

“M...mom?”

“Kara listen to me, I will explain later. Carter, Carter is on the train.”

“Mo-”

“KARA! Carter is on the train!”

“I, I'm headed to the air-”

“No you are not little one, you are closer to the train. I will go to the airport.”

“Aunt Astra?” Her niece's voice was broken and lost and Astra hated dropping in on her like a lead weight but there was no more time. 

“Kara please, Carter, you have to get to that train. The DEO is already headed for the airport, trust me, I will help them.”

“Alright. I-”

“Calex change her signal back now.” 

And like that they were separated again. 

“Supergirl.” Hanks voice broke into her ear, just as Winn's phone call broke through as well reaffirming the truth of Astra's words. 

“I trust my friends,” and my blood, Kara thought absently. “I'm going after the train.”

Hours later Astra hovered just outside her niece's apartment, looking in on Carter who was fast asleep on the bed while Kara was settled, or more hovering above the couch. Then and only then did she allow herself to relax fully, knowing her niece was going to be in dire straights by the morning once Carter's mother found out. The idea actually made her smirk ever so slightly, pushing the fears of almost losing her son aside and revealing herself to her niece earlier than intended. 

“Goodnight Ze-rao, Goodnight El-raora”

\-------

Astra had shut the world off, at least for the short few days Carter was going to be spending with her. She was a wreck in between, knowing he was aware of her was one thing, having him understand without question or confusion as to just exactly who she was to him was another thing all together.

His brother Adam, Cat's eldest and only other son had agreed to help Carter. Though she wasn't exactly sure how her little one had managed to convince his sibling. She was well aware of the power of persuasion when it came to the younger sibling asking something of importance to the older. Especially once the older was finally considered an adult. 

There were other issues there to be sure, Astra had noted them the times she had followed Carter to his supposed father's place and then more recently to his brothers but something's always managed to work themselves out in time. The relationship between the two boys was one, the relationship either had with their respective parents was entirely another. 

“This place is insane.” She could hear them floors below her as they climbed her obsidian tower on the industrial edge of National City. 

Astra, not unlike Kara, had been sent here with a mission, and when that mission had upended itself with their particular set of circumstances, she found it easier to fall back into the line of things she knew, or felt passionate about rather than to try and branch out on her own initially. With such a primitive planet compared to the state of her own, she had hope, especially now that she might indeed be able to turn the tide of Earth where she had failed with Krypton. 

In the years since her arrival she had eventually gotten into commodities trading, easy to do when you could mine precious metals and gems without any overhead, and had seen fit to invest in a variety of different endeavors before settling within what she knew, the defense industry. Once she and Superman had dealt with Zod and the others of his ilk, she had systematically shifted her investments, with Kal-El's influence to more environmentally conscious efforts and impact investing. 

She felt she had done a rather fair job of balancing the two elements, especially when it had come to research and development of Kryptonite based defenses, for her safety as well as her niece and nephew more than anything. Not to mention her current endeavor of integrating Kryptonian systems into Earth's own that had survived from the bombardment of all of their arrivals. Thanks in part to her nephew they had recovered Kara's pod under the D.E.O.'s purview, as well as his own which was in his fortress, and dismantled and relocated Fort Rozz.

What most people didn't know was that its re-assemblage and her gradual attempt to utilize and replicate the prisons power source as a new form of energy for Earth outside of an octahedron had been secured away into the underground 'bunker' of her property. Nor did they realize that the owner of one of the largest defense and global impact investors were one and the same, and not even from this planet. 

“Have you even been here before? How did you know where to go? Did you steal Cat's credit card or something to figure out who-”

“No Adam, I didn't steal anything. I told you before it just didn't feel right. Nothing against Matt at all, he's been alright as a dad but you and I both know you're his favorite, I'm just the one that looks like mom to him half the time and he doesn't even see himself in me.” 

While his little brother did resemble his mother more than himself, he had never thought his sibling had heard his dad say that. “Carter,” his tone became much more serious and he dropped down a bit in the elevator to better look at his brother in the eye. “He didn't say that to you did he?”

Carter shifted his jaw slightly, watching his brother come down to him. He had always been thankful for that, especially from Adam, it made him feel important enough to be considered on an equal level. This current line of questioning presently was the last thing he wanted to answer or leave his brother with before they parted for the next few days. 

“Carter, you know I'm going to go see him. I'll just ask and it won't be as nice as this.” His younger brother huffed a sigh before speaking again.

“I heard him tell Molly the last time I was there.”

“Last time” Adam looked confused for a moment, looking past Carter as he tried to remember before looking back to his younger sibling. “From the barbecue? On the fourth?!”

Carter hushed him and nudged his shoulder. “Yes.”

“Carter we were there for two weeks why didn't you tell me?”

His brother looked at him with a rather pointed expression, easily reminding him of his mother before sighing and looking heavenward. “See even you know you would have caused a scene.”

“You're my brother, I'm supposed to cause a scene when our parents are being stupid Carter.”

“Well he's your dad, so if you want to make Thanksgiving even more awkward for him.”

Adam sighed before pushing to a stand. “Remind me again what I'm supposed to say then?”

“I'm staying with you but we're visiting Dad for Thanksgiving. I've already called mom after her assistant Kara dropped me off at the airport before now and told her everything was fine and that you were picking me up, she got a little weird and did that quiet thing I told you about.”

“And?” Adam questioned, feeling the elevator slow. 

“-And- I told her I'd call her again later.”

“You don't think she's going to call Dad and try to talk to you again .”

“When was the last time she actually made an attempt to call him before calling me first?”

Adam made a face, glancing down to his brother before looking back to the doors when the elevator stopped. “Smart ass.” 

Astra was up as their voices neared the level of her office, already making her way towards them by the time the doors parted and revealed her to them. Carter stepped out first, offering her a wide smile unseen by his brother while Adam followed behind only to give Astra a somewhat confused look as he took her black cat-suited appearance all in. 

“I thought you said you were meeting your real dad.” He murmured, causing Carter's smile to falter.

“I am.”

Astra sensing Carter's unease turned her attention to Adam, giving him a small smile. “You must be Carter's brother.”

Before he could respond fully Astra was in his space and Carter between them.

“A-Adam Foster, yes, I'm his older brother. He's supposed to be meeting-”

“-My- brother.” She supplied, glancing down to Carter then back up to Adam as if she wasn't confirming this lie with the boy. 

“And you are?”

“Astra Le'Aedon, my brother was caught in an unexpected meeting and sent me to meet Carter here.”

“It's a holiday.” Adam warned, earning him a slightly nudge from Carter. “What, I'm not just going to leave you with a stranger you've never met who claims to be-”

“It is an American holiday, not everywhere in the world is on our time table Mr. Foster.” She looked down at Carter who seemed suddenly panic stricken before looking back up to his brother. He was only doing exactly what a sibling should be doing, especially given the circumstances of this whole situation.

“Adam, please you said-”

“Excuse us, just one.” Adam held up a finger, to which Astra nodded, and when Carter was reluctant to follow she gave him a rather parental look to get a move on towards his brother or face her consequences. 

Carter stumbled in his retreat, finally turning from Astra and wondering where that expression had come from as his brother dropped down to his level once more, hands on his shoulders. 

“Carter, I'm not so sure about all this. You're positive these results are real?”

Astra pretended not to overhear, crossing her arms over her chest and seeming interested in her nails as the brothers conversed in hushed tones a few feet away.

“Adam, I found out that same holiday. After I got back home for the summer. Ever since Matt said that I just, I had to find out, not because I wanted to prove him wrong but because I wanted to prove him right.”

“Why would-”

“Because Adam, he never felt like my dad, ever. You and I have always had some kind of connection, I knew you were my brother, I can see mom in you even when you don't want to admit it. Have you ever seen Matt in me?”

Adam studied his brother carefully, wondering when he had grown up in the time between being five and his unwanted shadow to now. He looked back over at Astra, studying her carefully as she focused on her nails, if she was indeed Carter's half Aunt, the similarities would be there. She shifted her stance, but didn't look up. 

“It is not polite to stare.” Came her voice before Adam blinked and looked away.

“Adam please, trust me. If anything happens, anything at all I promise I'll call you.”

“What if you can't get to a phone, what if they-”

“You are afraid I, we are going to take him from you.” Astra's voice resounded closer and Adam made a face, squeezing his brothers shoulders before pushing to a stand to look at the slightly taller woman. 

“Maybe I am.”

“Like your father took you?” Astra knew it was a slight, a cheap one but aside from telling the man the truth about herself they were getting nowhere fast. Carter was either going to be left with her or Adam would take him away and keep him at his apartment until the break was over. 

“You don't know anything about my father.”

“I know more than you could possibly know Mr. Foster.”

“Astra.” Carter spoke, edging around his brother. “Adam it's okay.” 

“Did you actually choose to go with him Mr. Foster, or did he just convince you your mother didn't want you?”

Adam stalked right up to her then, his anger flaring sharply, though Astra barely moved with his advance. “You don't know anything about me, my parents, -our- parents. I'm not so sure your brother even is Carter's father. But I do know now I'd have to be a complete idiot to just leave him here with you.” 

“What? Adam you promised!”

“That was before Carter, this isn't right.” He turned to look over his shoulder at his younger brother. “And I'm not leaving you alone with her,” then looked back to Astra. “Or her supposed family.” He grabbed for Carter and broke away from Astra, turning back towards the elevator. 

“I know your mother was in labor with you for three days Adam and that your real father died a year later and it nearly destroyed your mother.” Astra remained where they had left her, looking between Carter's shocked expression and Adam's back as they walked. 

“Anyone can find that stuff out, do you think I'm that gullible? All you have to do is be good enough at a search engine or something and you can find that information out.”

“I know you are the one who told your mother that 'Matthew' was unfaithful before Carter was born.”

That stopped him cold, his shoulders squaring slightly and after a second or two his grip on Carter went slack, causing the boy to break away from him and start towards Astra. The woman for all her virtue cut her eyes to the boy and held up a hand, forcing him to stop before she shook her head in the negative. His lost expression nearly broke her but this had to be done right, for all of their sakes. 

“I know your mother loves you -very- much, but has convinced herself that you want nothing to do with her.” Astra drew a few steps closer. “I know that ever since you told her about those indiscretions and your parents split up, you thought it was your fault. That you hurt her so much that she didn't just want Matt anymore, but you either, and would never forgive you.” 

There was a long drawn out silence between the three of them and a tension that only seemed to be growing exponentially. 

“She didn't fight for me.”

“She did, she did fight for you.” Astra felt her head tip in empathy with Adam's quiet tone and fisted hands. “But when you did not fight back, and your grandmother got involved, she quit.”

“How do you know?”

“Because she told me.” The words made Adam turn, while Carter stayed out of the two's eye line. “Just before, before Carter was born.”

“Why would she tell you and not your brother then?”

“Easier to talk to?” She shrugged as Adam looked at her cautiously. “I do not know exactly.”

“Does she know? Really know who Carter's father is?”

Astra shifted her jaw, not bothering to glance at Carter before giving a small shake of her head. “She may have suspicions, but I believe she has convinced herself, which she is very apt at doing mind you, that for Carter and perhaps even a little bit for your sake, Matthew is both of your fathers. Otherwise it makes everything that much more complicated. Perhaps she feels you have all had enough of that up to this point.”

Adam let his fists relax, glancing over to Carter for a brief moment before looking back to Astra. “You'll bring him back Saturday morning, he knows how to get to my apartment. If you're not there before noon.”

“I give you my word, Adam Foster.”

Adam waited another moment then nodded before the elevator announced itself. 

The tension seemed to drain from the two adults and with it Carter finally moved, his sneakers squeaking on the marble floor until he made his brother 'oof' with his impact. Adam bent to wrap up his brother, surprised at the younger one's strength in his hugs as he squeezed back a little harder. “I love you buddy, if you need anything, -anything-”

“I know Adam, I know.” Carter hugged his brother tighter, unsure exactly what was going to happen with them from here on but it felt like some kind of milestone had been passed. “We'll be there early, I promise.”

Adam nodded stiffly, passing another glance to Astra over Carter's shoulder before giving him a tight lipped smile. “I'll save you a plate huh?”

“Okay.” Carter smiled gently, watching his brother back up into the elevator. “Love you.” The words fell from him without prompt or obligation and with a small wave the brothers were separated by the black elevator doors.

Astra watched him from her place in the hallway, staring at his own reflection before he twisted slightly enough to look at her. 

“Was all that true?”

Astra felt her eyes close in a slight wince at his question before she drew in a deep breath and holding its weight in her lungs to try and ground her. Letting it out in a rush when she finally answered him. 

“Yes.”

“Have you talked to her-”

“I talk to your mother all the time.”

“But she never-”

“When she is asleep or lost in her mind at work. Just like I used to talk to you before you tried to see if you could fly.”

Carter couldn't help but feel his chest ache with Astra's expression concerning his mom, and with an easy effort he made his way over to her and without warning wrapped himself around her in a fierce hug. 

They stood like that for a long moment, exchanging all manner of emotions and skimming thoughts with their contact. The side of his face pressed into her while her hands ran through his hair until they both seemed to settle on the same frequency of calm and awareness. 

“Is this how Thanksgivings are supposed to work?”

Carter smiled, tipping his head back to look at her. “No, there's usually more food and people involved.” 

Astra hummed, setting her hands on either side of his face. “Ze-rao, I can remedy the food portion but as for the people, I think the two of us are enough for now.”

“Are we going somewhere else?”

“Where else would we go?”

“Don't you have a home?”

Astra considered that for a moment, never having seen a reason to take up a residence like her niece and nephew had, especially when there were so many important things she felt needed to be worked on anytime the mood struck her. Now however, especially with Carter's inquiry she wondered if that had been an oversight on her part for the betterment of his future. 

“I usually just go underground. It had not occurred to me that my living situation might not be ideal for you.”

Before he could answer to assuage her fears his stomach grumbled the song of its people to which Astra's features broke into a wide grin. 

“We will figure it out, -after- we eat.” She ruffled his hair and moved to his side, wrapping him up in one arm as she made her way down the hall back to her office. When they came to stand in the doorway the entire interior had been redone, to a degree, and set up like a Thanksgiving table in one of his mother's holiday edition of her magazines. 

“This is incredible!” He shouted, bouncing into her office as she shut the door behind them. “There's no way we're going to eat all this!”

She smirked, knowing she could put more than her fair share of food away. Almost as if on cue, the Calex unit rounded an alcove, tray in hand full of beverages before hovering in front of Carter. 

“Good evening Master Carter, it is wonderful to have you here. Would you like something to drink?”

Carter looked mesmerized, walking, or attempting, to walk around the unit which seemed intent on following him by turning in a circle where it hovered. “Is there something wrong Master Carter? Lady Astra?” 

“This is AMAZING!”

Astra actually laughed, making her way to the unit and setting her hand on its rounded head while taking a drink off his tray for herself. “That is Calex, we had them all over back home. Kal... a friend of mine gave this one to me.” 

“When do I get one?!” Carter bounced, taking a drink from the tray before looking back to Astra. 

“Technically this one is also yours, but only here okay?”

“You mean? 

“What?”

“I can come here whenever I want now?”

Astra beckoned him to the table, pulling a chair out for him before sitting down across from him. Calex made himself useful and went about setting their plates and silverware before puttering away to carve the turkey. 

“No, not exactly. You are welcome here, do not get me wrong, but we cannot maintain the lie to your mother or anyone else if we are to continue this and not seem as if we have nefarious intentions.”

“But, you're, you're my you're my mom too, it's only fair, Matt got all those visitations and-”

“And your mother still believes you are his son. As I said, do not get me wrong ze-rao, your ability to adapt to the concept so easily comes no doubt from our blood bonds. It will be quite another for your mother to grasp however.”

“Does she even know you're in National City.” 

Astra looked at him over the rim of her glass but didn't answer. 

“Does she even know you're alive?!”

“I doubt she even remembers me Ze-rao.” 

“But you love her so much.” 

Astra seemed struck, looking at him for a long moment before swallowing. “How exactly do you know that?”

“You told me.” He said as if he were talking about the weather, leaving her even more confused. “When you said you talked to her all the time.” He grinned at her then, grabbing his fork before politely asking Calex to pass him the bowl of mashed potatoes.


	4. Hostile Takeover

“If you can get proof that this guy is colluding against Cat, his CEO, we're talking corporate wrong doing. Forget fired, you could get him arrested.” Lucy supplied, despite James having asked the question she addressed it to Kara, who nodded thoughtfully at her with a hint of a smile. 

“Thank you Lucy.”

“But.” She pressed, “go after Armstrong without hard evidence, and this is my expert legal advice, you'd be making things a lot worse for your boss.”

Kara nodded again until the bustle of those near the other side of the bar at Noonan's pulled her attention. 

“Some unknown woman, -hovering- over CatCo Plaza with it seems the same powers as Supergirl. Does she mean us harm? Should we be concerned?”

To her absolute dismay Kara felt her heart jump into her throat at the sight of her Aunt hovering above her place of business. Her friends made excuses for her, while she made them to Alex over the phone before hiding away in a bathroom. She felt as if her feet were buried in lead as she brought up CatCo's feed of Astra hovering once more. “Aunt Astra, what're you doing?”

Elsewhere across the city Carter had caught the alert on his cell phone and excused himself to the rest room. Plugging his headphones in, he loaded up CatCo's news feed app and felt his heart jump into his throat, threatening to take him off the ground with the action with his elation. “Mom. What're you doing?!” 

In a blur Kara was changed and rushing towards her Aunt, coming up just behind her before speaking. “Astra.”

“Little One.”

“No, you don't get to call me that right now.”

“Kara, I know you're upset, about many things.”

“You're a criminal”

“I am glad you're here.”

“You have two minutes before I knock you out of the sky.”

Astra felt Kara's words like Kryptonite digging into her very soul, knowing whatever words she could possibly say wouldn't be enough for her niece. So she reached into the lining of her suit, and held up the spy beacon she had utilized with Kara when she was younger. 

Kara faltered in the sky, the tension in her body rearing for a fight slipping from her like the wind through her hair. “You still have it.” She uttered absently, feeling the color drain from her face. 

“It's time you knew everything Kara... please. Trust me, like before, with the train, trust me now.”

Kara swallowed hard, squaring her shoulders back after a moment before finally giving a nod. “We need to fly away from here, some where no one can track us.”

“If you think you can keep up.” Astra mused, attempting to lighten the seriousness about to befall the both of them in the moments to come. 

“Try me.”

Like that Astra spun off and away from Kara, breaking the sound barrier a few seconds later until Kara supplied her own sonic boom to the mix chasing after her. 

Hours later they stood in the bunker, surrounded with all the knowledge Astra had to offer her niece concerning the past 12 years on Earth and the time before when they were still on Krypton. 

“Why don't I remember, how she caught you.”

Astra was afraid Kara would hone in on that one minute detail, the message her sister had sent to her at Fort Rozz shortly thereafter negated some of that sting of her sister's betrayal, but it would never soothe the truth of their entire planet's death, and the hands Alura and Jor-El had in it all.

“Kara.”

“How could she-, why would-. All those-, everything-.”

“Kara please, she forgave me, I was supposed to find you first. Not Kal-El. I can show-”

“I have to go.”

Astra swallowed hard, watching her niece try to absorb everything. “I will not stop you if you need to leave.”

“I have to talk, I-.” Kara swallowed visibly, her eyes already turning glassy as she turned away from her Aunt and made for the door. 

“That Alura will not give you answers.” 

Kara halted, waiting for Astra to continue. 

“She's a broken program that the humans think they figured out enough to ground you at that place.”

“How would you even know.” 

“I told you, my investments, the DEO is one of them, that Kryptonite technology, mine. As is the Alura projection.” 

Kara turned to look at her Aunt over her shoulder. “Why? Why would you?”

“Because at the time the humans were simply trying to figure things out blindly. I wasn't about to give them the full consciousness of your mother, they only need a little information before they decide to condemn something alien to them or turn it into a weapon.”

“So..”

“I gave them a partial consciousness, not you. -Them.- It is why she constantly says she is not programmed to give out certain, albeit a lot, of information as I'm sure you've found out.” 

“Where is the full one?” 

Astra shifted slightly, feeling her hands start to tremble knowing what Kara was going to ask her next. “Here.”

“I want it.” 

“Kara-”

“Don't. I'm not an innocent little girl anymore Astra, I watched everything, everyone I loved die. At thirteen years old and then everything I thought I knew when I got here, not the case, and now all over again, just when I thought I was getting back to something, back to some kind of solid ground. It happens again.” Kara squared her shoulders, lifting her chin as she looked down at her Aunt. “I'm sorry if I sound so demanding but you owe me, you owe me so much right now and I should take you in, I should drag you kicking and screaming to the D.E.O. but I won't, not until I get the answers I need.” 

“They will not be the answers you want.” 

“Just give it to me.” Kara's hands shook from her effort at trying to keep her emotions in check. “Please.” 

Astra palmed the device, carefully stepping towards her niece until they were nearly toe to toe before offering it out to her. “I will be here, if you wish to return.” 

Kara shifted her jaw, looking at the cube in her hand before turning red rimmed eyes back up to Astra. 

“I love you Kara.” 

The younger woman nodded, curling her fingers around the box as Astra offered her another object. “This will keep you from being tracked by their systems, your DEO will be looking for you and I know what it can feel like when you don't want to be found.” Kara took the sliver of metal her Aunt offered her, turning it over in her fingers before disappearing the same way she came in with a burst of super speed. Her adrenaline sapped, Astra couldn't help but crumple to the floor with her next step unsure what exactly Alura's complete consciousness would do in response to the questions burning in her daughter's mind.

\-------

Kara flew harder and faster than she ever had before in her life, high above the city to ensure she didn't damage anything in her wake. Her communicator never once blipped, denoting her monitor from the DEO and her location were indeed being masked. She had to glance at the secondary object Astra had given her one more time, which only made her fly that much faster.

Her vision already blurred, Kara landed with a resounding thud, she looked down at the cube in her hand before setting it down gently and backing up. The projection of her mother came to life not more than a moment after, her expression immediately responsive unlike the one back in the DEO that always seemed detached and artificial. Not only that, but the entire make up of this Alura was completely solid, corporeal even, so much so that Kara nearly choked on her breath as she sucked it inward.

“Kara, my light.” Alura seemed relieved, rushing towards her daughter who immediately backed up and held her hand up between them to stop her. 

“Wait!” She spoke fiercely and her mother seemed to suddenly understand. Especially when Jor-El supplied her with Astra's blatant display from earlier unbeknownst to Kara. 

“Did you use me to get Astra arrested?”

“Kara,” she tried, more sympathetic this time as she attempted to read her daughter's face, clouded with anger and pain as it was. Again reaching for her until her fingertips actually touched Kara's palm causing her daughter to retreat even further with a sharp gasp. 

“DON'T, say my name right now. Did you use me, to -draw- Astra out of hiding?”

Alura swallowed, her shoulders dropping along with her expression. “Yes my light.” 

“Stop saying that!” Kara felt a fire burning in her chest, guilt and sickness stirring deep in her stomach as her mother shied back slightly. Tears pricked her eyes and the muscles in her neck felt seized as she tried to breathe. “”How would you do that?”

There was a long moment between them and Alura wavered, wishing she could wrap her daughter up. Clearly Kara saw her unspoken intentions and began to move to the side of her, not back but as a moving object she guessed she'd be harder to latch onto. 

“Astra had broken the law, you were the only person she trusted to meet.” Kara whirled on her, sending her cape out behind herself in a flourish. “I thought it was necessary at the time. The only way I could reach-”

“Could she have saved us?”

“She was a criminal-”

“But was she right!?”

“Do you really want to know these answers my light.” 

“TELL ME!” Kara stepped closer, rage twisting inside her like a summer storm. 

“I'm so sorry Kara-”

“You let everyone that I love die!” She stalked up to her mother, watching her words strike her like a weapon. “You left me. You left me alone, you sent me away how could you do that?!”

“I had to, Jor-El told me, told his brother, Astra never killed anyone, it was Non, that they had been working on a solution for Krypton but her husband had found a portion of her plans and made the rest his own. Jor-El swore to the council that he nor his wife would leave Krypton, that he would not incite a panic. He knew I would do the same, even when I stood beside him against the others. That was when he told us about Astra, and what they had been planning, knowing she would not swear to anything.” 

Everything in Kara rose to the surface then, her memories, her world shattered all over and in her rage she cried out against her mother, her heat vision breaking through her body, sending her to her knees as Kara's vision blazed across steel girders within the abandoned space she was in. 

There was movement behind her, heavy steps that slid across the grit and debris scrambling for the projector as Kara's vision turned towards it, leaving the devastated and broken image of her mother on the floor before she disappeared revealing Alex just behind her. 

With another anguished sound Kara closed her eyes, even though Alex could still feel the heat from her outburst threatening to melt her boots with how close Kara had gotten to her. Kara's cries pulled Alex up immediately as she stuffed the projection device into a pouch and without concern for herself she wrapped the other woman up in her arms and hugged her as tightly as she could manage for a human. “Hey, hey... it's not really her.” 

“She lied to me.” Kara's broken sob tore through Alex worse than any bullet. 

“Kara that's not your mom.” She stepped back from Kara, holding her shoulders. “You don't know what happened, what Astra could have program-”

“I know Astra and I were both given life sentences by my mother, we didn't have a choice.” 

“Kara.”

“And she's only told me the truth from the moment she appeared to me when Lord planted those bombs.”

“You never told me she-”

“Because I didn't want to believe it.” Kara stood on trembling legs, her hands gathered into fists at her sides trying to keep herself together. 

“How do you know, now, that she's not trying to manipulate you.” 

“She never lied to me, not once.” 

Alex let out a dark sigh, tentatively reaching out to push errant strands of hair from Kara's face. “Are you sure Kara?”

The woman nodded in a disjointed manner, tear filled eyes looking back up to Alex. “How did you f-”

“You make a lot of noise when you fly angry.” Alex supplied, knowing it would be enough. 

“Are the others-” 

“No, no Kara, just me. I always know how to find you, even when you don't want to be found.” 

Kara felt her resolve breaking again with the way Alex was looking at her. “I can prove it to you.” 

“What?” Alex squared herself, holding onto Kara to keep her upright, knowing if no one else would dare try, she would always be there to catch the other woman. 

“Astra, I can prove what she says is true.” 

“How?” 

“Kal-El, his father, in his fortress.” 

Alex looked dumbfounded. “He's here?” 

Kara nodded, latching onto Alex. “Trust me?” 

“Of course I do. I always will.” 

“Then hold on.” Like that, the pair were airborne.

\-------

“Lady Astra”

“Yes Calex?” She responded distractedly, her primary focus set on a weapon she had parted out on the table, her K-Shield blazing across her chest as she tweaked the weapon output and the green Kryptonite core hummed at a much more pleasing tone. 

“I am picking up multiple signatures coming into formation.” 

“Be more specific Calex.” 

“Kryptonian, Helgrammite and Venoxism.” 

Astra nearly dropped her tools, pushing off her table and turning to her display. “Show me.” 

Astra noted their positions, head tipping to the side as she watched their trajectory towards a particular building nestled in National City. “Alert the DEO, if they haven't been already, force their system over ride and send an alert to Mr. Lord.” 

“Initiating.” 

“What in Rao are they doing now?”

“It would seem as if they are rallying Lady Astra.” 

“Calex, can you get me exact signatures?”

“One moment...” 

Astra tipped her head even more as she watched each number switch over into House designations, her eyes going wide. “Calex. Send Raz and Ashe in a weapon transport, DEO veil, they're going to need these weapons.”

“Certainly Lady Astra.” 

Astra turned back to the screen, she didn't know why or how, but the last number ticked over, confirming her fears as Non's name came up on the screen. She raced through her complex, bursting out of the emergency exit from the bunker before making a streak in the sky towards Carter's location, she had to be sure he was safe before she engaged. 

“Put her down!” Hank shouted, gun raised as Non held Kara aloft, his body pitching forward as a Kryptonite round lodged into his back as he dropped Kara. With glaring eyes he twisted towards the group, firing off his heat vision at Alex and the other two agents trying to flank him. 

“Your little toys are useless on me now.” He growled, ignoring Kara and leaping for Hank, twisting around behind him, using their director as a shield as he looked over at Kara. “You want him back, you'll give me Astra.” He sneered at her, before leaping off as more enforcements arrived. 

“Kara, are you alright?” Alex was at her side instantly, checking the woman over before looking back to the sky. 

“I'm fine, how did, I left you at home. How did you get here so-?”

“Our systems had an upgrade, we saw them on the radar and mobilized.” Alex explained as she motioned for the other agents to secure the perimeter while she made her way back up the steps of Lord Tech.

Kara glanced to the gun slung over Alex's back. “Why am I not feeling that?” Referring to the green glow settled within the chamber as they stepped back into the lobby.

“I.. I don't know.” 

“Clearly you don't know a lot of things Agent.” Maxwell Lord's voice rang out sharply, the pair suddenly realizing his proximity as he slung his own weaponry over his shoulder. “And tell your people to keep out of my building.”

“Max, we need to secure the area, we don't know what they were looking for or if they may've infiltrated-”

“No. This is my property. I want you gone. Our partnering days are over Agent Danvers.” 

“At least tell me what they were after, you engaged them first, they had to've said something, they have my commanding officer, we-”

“We don't need to do anything. You want answers, why don't you ask your pet alien huh? She seems to know them well enough. Or did you miss that whole exchange before they both broke through my roof!”

“Max-”

“I'll take care of myself from now on.” He held up his weapon before slinging it over his shoulder again. “Now get your jack boots off my property.”

Alex looked struck, and let out a huff of a breath before signaling the other agents to regroup and withdrawal. Kara was close behind her as Vasquez broke through Alex's comm.

“Secure communication requested ma'am.” 

Alex glanced over at Kara as they rounded her vehicle, sending a relay code to Vasquez before syncing up to their secure channel. 

“Go ahead.” 

“General Lane is here ma'am.” 

“What the hell is he doing there?” 

“Someone notified him that Henshaw was taken, when the emergency protocols were activated.” 

“That was fucking fast.” 

Kara rose a brow as she loaded up into Alex's car, holding onto the handles as they peeled out of the parking lot. 

“That's not all ma'am.” 

“Wonderful, there's more.” 

“Point one. He has a prisoner.” 

“Excuse me?” 

“The woman, the one Supergirl engaged with over the city-” 

“Astra.” Kara whispered, her eyes cutting to Alex who only punched the accelerator to the floor. 

“He said she has information on the whereabouts of Non?”

“Then why is she a prisoner?” 

“He's claiming she's a terrorist and that she's responsible for some incident years ago? I have some classified records, most of it's redacted, but her name is mentioned ma'am. More than once.” 

“She wouldn't Alex, she's only tried to help.” 

Alex shifted her jaw, knowing what she had been told by Kara's uncle about the woman in question. “Scrub the reports and make sense of it. If they have the General's name on it, consider the report to be bias and find one from another solider.”

“Understood, point two is going to have to wait until you get here then. Any other orders ma'am?”

“Keep it to yourself, use the secure room if you need to, we're coming in hot.”

“Yes ma'am. Vasquez out.”

“Kara, the General can't know about you and Astra.” 

“I'm pretty sure he has some idea Alex.” 

“No, I mean you're going to have to convince them, both of you, that whatever it is you two have started, this thing to take her side-”

“You're still worried, after all you've been shown-”

“No. Kara, I trust you, with that I have to trust the things your family has told me, especially about her. What I'm saying is that if General Lane finds out, just how deep, how willing you are to help her or argue her side goes.” 

“He could use it against both of us.” 

“Exactly.” Alex turned hard and started up the nav system for the computers back on base, just to ensure that if the General and his men were watching, they wouldn't see her as a rogue. “I have no idea what his intentions are, or what he may do to get whatever it is he wants from her or you, or even the DEO.”

“How are we going to let Astra know?”

Alex glanced to her right then back to the road as they breached the tunnel the DEO had built into National City's subway transit system. So much easier to hide government transports under the guise of a subway train. “Give me something, something only she would know so she either knows we're telling the truth or would convince her what you're doing is for show and that she needs to play along.”

Kara racked her brain, trying to find something, anything before realization set in. “Tantho Flez.”

“A what of what?”

“No, it's a thing, something from Krypton. I made a statue of one, they're beautiful magnificent ferocious beasts to look at but they're extremely docile and Jor-El had one. Dragons, they look like Earth's dragons.”

“Kara dragons aren't real.” 

“Here, they aren't real -here- but they were on Krypton. They were deceptive in their appearance versus their nature. Coming from you if you do exactly that, point out that dragon's don't exist, maybe-”

“Kara that's a big maybe.”

\-------

Carter sat on the edge of the couch, watching coverage of Supergirl's latest efforts concerning the attack at Lord Technologies. He was about to turn it off until Lord himself held up a picture of Astra from weeks prior, hovering above his mother's building. Thankfully it wasn't an enhanced shot of her features or anything immediately recognizable. Although Carter recognized it from that day due to having saved screenshots from his phone when it had happened live, and only when they panned out did he see Supergirl in the same shot.

“This is what they looked like.”

“Are you trying to imply Mr. Lord, that Supergirl is responsible for this recent attack?” There was an uproar of noise from other reporters as Lord tried to talk over them. 

“Turn that up right now.” Carter very nearly jumped out of his skin when his mother's voice was added to the noise from directly behind him. 

He did so without fail and glanced over at his mom as she perched herself on the edge of the couch beside him and pulled out her cell phone. “Get a live feed ready to go from my office, I'm going to stop this clown's rhetoric before he goes too far.”

“All I'm saying is that they looked like this.” He pointed to Astra, “and Supergirl was seen departing with one of them not but a few days ago. This is a blatant disregard for the kind of danger these kinds of people pose.” 

“Do you think this was a terrorist attack?”  
“Where any of your defense contract material's compromised?”  
“What do you mean by 'these kinds of people?”  
“Do you have a personal vendetta against Supergirl?” 

The questions overlapped one after the other as Carter continued to watch and Cat patted his leg before standing back up. “Bed, soon.” She knew it was past his bed time, but given the situation going on and his curiosity on the subject matter she let it slide this time. “I'll be in my office.” 

“Okay Mom, love you.” He said absently, focused on the screen as Lord attempted to field the questions being thrown at him, starting first with the security of his defense contractor's investments. Cat felt herself stutter in her steps, looking over at her son as he leaned further forward. 

“Love you too honey.” A beat later and she was looking at her phone like someone had reached through and smacked her. “No Wit, I was not talking to you, I'm glad your flattered, you've set the bar high on that one but let's not kid ourselves here.” She trudged up to the second floor on bare feet, making her way to her office at the end of the hall, switching on the appropriate hardware so the IT guy could get her up and on air before pulling a suit coat over her camisole. 

“Thirty seconds and I want to go live, break into the broadcast on our networks and affiliates, start with the Supergirl reel from the earthquake, yes that one, the forty second version. Yes. Right. No bumper. Pull back from the final shot, pip display, zoom in torso and make sure that symbol of her's is centered by the time I start talking.” 

Cat leaned over her mirror to the right of her desk, the large screen behind her already spinning with the CatCo logo as she straightened her hair and adjusted her make-up. “Standard overlay. Wait til a minute thirty before running the Lord crawl, yes the one from a few months ago where his 'test' weapons injured those soldiers. Right, we still have no explanation from him, along with information on the attack from tonight, yes with his accusations, make sure you contact legal.”

She shut off her phone and sat at her desk, glancing up at the monitor screen just above the camera eye line, adjusting her suit jacket one last time to rid herself of crooked lines and pulled up to her desk. She caught the blinking light on the camera and a notification on her phone display of her countdown before lifting her chin slightly once the light went solid red. 

“Citizens of National City, this is Cat Grant coming to you live from the heart of the city itself.” 

Carter blinked from his place on the couch, watching his mother as they suddenly cut away from Lord and his fear mongering, or more split the two feeds until his mother's became the larger display and eventually he saw Lord grow silent and tune in to the feed itself via one of the media personnel near him. He turned his head up a moment later, pushing off the couch and silently stalking up the stairs towards his mother's office. 

He could hear her voice ring out clearly, completely confident in what she was saying in her defense of Supergirl as well as her uncharacteristic defense of the woman Lord had pointed out to the media. Somewhere between listening to her convictions and walking he forgot himself, slipping beyond the entry way of her office only to stand at the edge of the small alcove the walls created near the door. His mother had designed the room like that when he was younger, and would set up a baby gate so he could watch her and her him while she worked away. 

He frowned slightly at the sudden recall, shaking it away as he edged closer and watched one of the city's unsung heroes of National City flourish in her element. She couldn't fly, and she couldn't stop a bullet with her bare hands, but her words could enrapture everyone willing to listen. She she could shift the angle of any story to her crafting to the point that the viewer initially thought it was their own idea that his mother was just reacquainting them with. So lost himself in what she was saying about Supergirl, and this possibly new hero, that Carter failed to see her looking at him until he turned his attention from the window, where he had hoped to see either heroine come rushing past, back to his mother. 

He froze on the spot, unsure of how she would react, she never had an issue with him while she was at work or in her office if he needed anything, or wanted her attention, but this was important, and he should be in bed. And she just smiled at him...

She smiled at him, genuinely, honestly, on camera, for all of National City to see. Whatever she said thereafter he missed but with her sign off, he watched her turn more fully to him, beckoning him over with a single finger just as her cell phone rang. 

“Yes? Good. Clear it with legal, make a few sound bytes, upload it to the website and if need be play it again if that idiot is still taking up the air waves instead of the subscription infomercial on CCoTV2. Make sure you get his reaction footage and loop it in there, especially if he comments, and have someone follow his social media feeds in case he decides to add his one hundred forty characters or less.” 

Carter made his way further into his mother's office, the corner of his mouth quirking as he took note of the pictures on her desk, his picture next to the smaller framed cover shot of Supergirl always made him smile, there was a third frame just behind but he was never at the right angle to see who was in it. Leaning forward slightly he caught a glimpse of white before his mother said his name. 

“Hm?” He blinked, settling back on his heels as he looked directly at her.

“I thought I said bed.”

“Soon, you added soon.” 

“That constitutes you instead sneaking into my office rather than going to bed?”

“You were defending Supergirl, and that other woman.”

“Mmm, I see, and again, this is reason enough for you not to go to bed, when you have school in the morning?” Her question was more of a statement than anything as she watched him carefully. 

“You don't even know her. What if she is one of the people that attacked Lord's place?”

Cat tipped back in her seat, gesturing to the one just off to the side opposite her. “Do you really believe that?”

Carter settled into the seat, pulling a leg up in his chair with him. “I don't know, I don't think so but I can't be sure.” 

“But you would assume she is because?”

“Someone attacked his facility, unless he did it to himself, which wouldn't be too surprising considering he's rather egotistical.” 

Cat smirked out a laugh. “And in that ambivalence, without influence from anyone else's words what did you see?”

Carter considered that for a thoughtful moment, recalling what all he did witness in the live footage when Astra had encountered Kara. “That they knew one another, somehow. If she has powers just like Supergirl, then she might be someone else from her planet, like Superman.” 

“But?”

He scrunched the corner of his mouth in thought. “It's possible she isn't like them, and is a different thing all together that Supergirl maybe just recognized. She was very tense, her shoulders were up and her fists were at her sides until just before they flew off together.”

“So you're still going to assume they are enemies?” Cat questioned.

“If they were Supergirl's enemy, I don't think she would have let them fly away like that.” 

“So she's not her enemy, but why would she make one out of Lord?” 

“Because he's no good.”

Cat looked at him somewhat shocked, raising a brow at him before sitting forward. “What makes you say that?”

“Because he thinks Supergirl is a burden, that she has bad intentions and undoubtedly wants to enslave us all like any advanced alien species would if they came to this planet like a bad science fiction novel.” 

Cat smiled and pursed her lips in thought. “Enough for tonight then, let's go, to bed with you.”

“Are you going to stay up?”

Cat tipped her head at her son, taking his question in stride before pushing to a stand herself. “Not long, it's going to be an early day tomorrow what with all this going on tonight.”


	5. Blood Bonds Us All

“Careful little one, the humans are fond of their Kryptonite toys.” Astra turned over her shoulder to look at Kara, barely moving otherwise. 

“The Director told me she met with you.” 

“Indeed, her knowledge in alien fauna is most impressive.” Astra drawled sarcastically, turning her features away from Kara just after. The other woman nodded to herself, taking that as confirmation of her message through Alex as she drew a deep breath and attempted to channel her irritation at everything else into it actually appearing as if it was meant for Astra.

“Where did Non take Henshaw?”

Astra smiled, turning from where she was seated. “I spent years in Fort Rozz, it's going to take more than a stern voice to scare me.”

From the common room General Lane stood at ease just off to Alex's left, watching the screens in front of him, namely the small box in the upper left corner featuring the security observation feeds from active cells as they cycled through. Upon seeing Supergirl circling around Astra's cell he narrowed his eyes and moved over to another set of consoles, his men not far behind. 

“Pull up the live feed from that cell, overlay it on the display here and give me audio.” He waited a moment or two before cursing quietly under his breath.

“Something I can help you with General.” 

“Director, you and your people seem to be lacking in that department as far as getting Henshaw back.”

“I beg your pardon?” 

He nodded to the feed, watching as Astra stood. “Explain to me how having one alien converse with another of its kind expedites the return of one of your men?” 

As Alex neared she almost couldn't keep the smile from showing on her face, the edge of her mouth lifting slightly as she heard the all too familiar Kryptonese come over the audio feed. Point one for Kara and her Aunt on that front. Clearly their conversation was an intense one, but unless the General knew the language there would be no way he would be able to understand a single syllable the pair spoke to one another. 

“It's a familiarity tactic sir, one I would think you would be more than aware of. To understand the enemy is to know the enemy. Kara knows the enemy, in tradition, in language, culture, all aspects given they are the same,” she paused, shifting her jaw slightly. “Species as you put it. It's no different than one of your men speaking in another person's regionally native language and attempting to appeal to that sense of unconscious understanding between the pair seeing as they both come from a similar background or ethnicity.” 

The General turned his head to her slowly, looking her up and down before dismissing her entirely in order to watch the interaction between Supergirl and Astra. Alex waited another moment before turning from him, returning to her command post just behind Vasquez. 

“Congratulations ma'am.” Vasquez spoke under her breath, sifting through the influx of data coming in from their satellites and drones in search of Hank. 

“Hm?” Alex stood at ease, looking over the data as it streamed across the screens at breakneck speed. 

“You've convinced me that your pair is made of steel.” 

Alex nearly choked on her laugh and cleared her throat when the General glanced their way. “Narrow the fields here and here.” 

“Yes ma'am.” Vasquez supplied slightly louder to hide her own amusement just as Kara rounded the corner. 

She glanced at the General, who looked displeased and expectant at the same time though she continued through the command center until she reached Alex's side.

“Anything?” 

Kara shook her head slightly. “Like any leader, she refuses to betray her people.” 

“So you have nothing.” General Lane interrupted, coming around the coordination display to engage the pair. 

Kara turned to look over her shoulder at the man, doing her best not to make her eyes glow despite her glare. “Would you be so forth coming if it came down to the location of -your- base of operations in the middle of enemy territory General?” 

He reared back to say something until half the agents in the room pried off their headsets or winced away from the squelch that came across all frequencies. The main display blacked out before Non appeared. 

“This is Lieutenant Non of Krypton, we each possess someone of value to the other, I propose a trade.” 

“This is acting Director Alex Danvers, excuse me if I don't take you at your word. I need proof of life.”

Non moved aside, showing Hank strapped to a chair. “Director Danvers, congratulations on your promotion.”

“Thank you sir, I fully intend on getting you back alive.” 

“Which will only happen if you do as I say.” Non interjected, coming back to fill the screen once more. “I will return Henshaw unharmed, if you turn Astra over to me. You have forty eight hours, or your man dies.” 

“General Lane here, United States Army.” He pushed between Kara and Alex. “We do not negotiate with terrorists.”

“General.”

“Enough Director, I have my orders.” 

“And I have mine, which do not include you.” 

“Humans.” Non spoke. “While you proceed to squabble, time continues to slip away. You know what I want, I know what you want. There is no negotiation.” Just like that the screen went blank. 

“What do you think you're doing General?” Alex whirled on him, though he refused to step back. 

“My job. Promotion or not, start acting like you know how to do yours.” 

“I'm trying to get Henshaw back alive, not to mention prevent an all out war between Non and his people and our own forces.” 

“There is no negotiating with these people. I've seen it before you were even taller than the wheat fields back home Director.” He turned away from them, motioning to his men before leaving the command center. 

“What an asshole.” Vasquez supplied once he was out of earshot, causing Alex, Kara and a few other agents to turn towards her. 

“What. Clearly I'm not exaggerating.” 

Alex smirked. “The sooner they're out of here the better. With any luck this whole turn of events will frustrate him enough to leave this whole thing up to us.” 

Kara pulled in a deep breath, looking at the screens as they were brought back up while other agents began running diagnostics on the signal itself. 

“Try to isolate the frequency, maybe we can back track it or at least narrow its signal output to a particular region.”

Elsewhere General Lane continued through the maze work of hallways towards the elevator, intent on the holding cell area. “Men secure the floor once we get there, Hudson prep the K-protocol, Murphy I want you on the K-field controls, she shows signs of further resistance I want you to amp that thing up to full.” 

“Sir?” 

As the group filled out the elevator the General glanced over to the soldier. “Something you don't understand son?” 

“Sir, if we boost those levels in that room we could kill her.” 

General Lane lifted a brow at the man, waiting for another explanation. 

“If she has the intel sir, wouldn't that defeat the purpose of retrieval?” 

“If you can't follow orders I can have you removed from my detail.”

The other men looked between each other, the unease settling firmly into their bodies. 

“No sir. Understood sir.” 

The General nodded just as the elevator doors opened, revealing Astra's cell door. He typed in his security clearance before entering, again his men looked to one another before filling about the room, taking up positions around Astra who only seemed to move her eyes to track them. 

“I am General Samuel Lane of the United States Army.” He began, stepping slowly into the room until the outer door shut behind him.

Astra slowly rose, she was well aware of him, his tactics and methods, not to mention his service record. “I wonder, how many humans you had to kill to achieve that title. Yet you call me a threat.” 

The General just smiled with a faux sense of empathy and a slight shake of his head. “When I was a boy, my father took my sister and I to the theater to see a film. It was called, 'The Day the Earth Stood Still.' It was about an alien, who came to Earth, like yourself, and threatened to destroy it. They refused to change their wicked ways.” 

Astra smirked faintly, even if her heart rate was beginning to accelerate, she looked beyond the General to one of his men, adjusting the levels of Kryptonite output in the room and swallowed behind her smirk. 

“I had nightmares for weeks. Do you know that still, today, when I look at you, I am right back in that old theater. Afraid.” 

Astra flexed her jaw, glancing down to consider his words and to attempt to regulate her breathing, a sudden thought striking her as she lifted her eyes back to him. Hoping that even with all this Kryptonite surrounding them, Kara would feel her, come to her. 

“On Krypton, it is a show of great strength to reveal one's fears.”

“Do you know why I told you?” Astra tipped her head at him waiting. “I wanted you to know, that by your world's standards, I am a man of honor. I take no pleasure, in what comes next.” 

The officer nearest him stepped forward, opening the lead lined case to reveal liquid Kryptonite, she knew of it well enough, having been the one to develop it and the injection tool beneath it. With a broken exhale she realized too late her cell was opened. 

Hands were on her, painfully twisting at her biceps before she put her knee in the soldier's chest and shoved him away, the second one came at her next, catching her in the face and sending a shock of pain to crackle like lightning through her skull. She recovered quickly enough, sending her elbow into his throat and dropping him to his knees. The first solider grabbed for her again and she felt the Kryptonite levels in the room accelerate so that when he pried her arm behind her she felt like her shoulder was going to dislocate.

A grunt of pain followed as she was dropped to her knees only to have fire burn through her skull as her head was hauled up by her hair. Her shoulders were overstretched, arms held too tight behind her while her head was stilled by the fist tightening in her hair. Her mind screamed for her niece, for Kal-El, anyone that might hear, she prayed to Rao and felt her heart threaten to break her ribs with the ferocity of its beating.

“You are going to tell me the location of your base.” He readied the injector, and she flailed against her captors until they stepped on her calves to keep her still as she bit back her cry and trapped it in the column of her throat. 

“The only question is, are you going to tell me before we start or after?”

“What's going on?! Astra!”

“Kara wait.” Alex rushed to grab her as she stumbled, the level of Kryptonite in the room was at a dangerous level, instantly dropping both Kryptonian's with ease. 

“You can't just come in here like that!” The General barked. 

“Kara he's right the lights. Turn the levels down you'll kill them!” 

“Don't turn them down she'll get free.” The General shouted over Alex.

“This is who you choose to fight for, in this moment? Right here. Against -your- people.” Astra shook from her efforts, from her anger and from the adrenaline pulsing through her like a combustion engine. “Think about your own -family-,” Astra struggled, hoping Kara would hear her words for what they were, not this charade they were trying to maintain. 

“Stop General you're hurting her.” Kara growled, in pain and in anguish, looking back to her Aunt, connecting with her and feeling the weight of everything Astra was trying to convey slam into her like a wrecking ball.

“I'm sorry, was she more forthcoming when you asked nicely?” The General looked down at Kara. 

Alex stood helpless, watching Kara and Astra both struggle against the forces in the room racking up against them. “General, there's another way to save Hank, this is wro-”

“We are NOT releasing a combatant of this threat level.” 

“Don't do this General. Please.” Kara continued to struggle towards her Aunt, grabbing for the General's boot before he kicked her off. “General we are better than this!” 

“We are. She's not.” He glared at Alex. “Now get her out of here.” 

“No. Don't-don't, please!” Kara screamed in anguish as Alex picked her up, fighting for her Aunt as she felt the sting of the needle as if it were put to her own neck. She continued to fight and kick against Alex as she threw her into the elevator even as Astra's scream broke its way into her very skull. 

“KARA!”

Cat was up with a gasp, her hand grasping at her chest before looking down at herself drenched in sweat. She felt sick, and she never got sick, not since she had Carter. Her whole body seemed like it was on fire even as she pushed the damp strands of her hair from her face. It was then she heard it and instantly felt her blood run cold. “Carter.” 

She was up in a flourish, practically running through her home where the screams grew louder. She threw open his door and was nearly floored at the sight of him. He was curled in on himself, hands digging into his head, body covered in sweat. “Baby, what's wrong.” 

Cat flicked on the lamp and climbed onto his bed beside him, to touch him was like putting your hand in hot water and almost instantly he turned from her. 

“It hurts.” He whimpered, knuckles white from the effort as his knees curled tighter into his body. 

Cat scrambled for his nightstand, grabbing his phone from inside the drawer before dialing. “I'm here baby I'm here, it'll be okay.” 

“She hurts so much.” He whimpered, eyes shut tight and when she tried to move him he shook his head almost violently before repeating not to touch him. 

“I need you.” Cat blurted, panic stricken into the phone. “It's Carter, I can't move him, I don't I don't know, he woke up screaming, he's on fire. No I can't, they'll take too long to get-” 

“No nonononono please not another one. Mom! Make them stop they're hurting her!” 

“Call them then but I'm not moving him!” 

“Kara. Kara!” Alex tried to grab for the other woman who threw her off and continued to stalk through the DEO towards the surface. 

“Damn it Kara, talk to me.” Alex grabbed her cape and twisted, pushing Kara back against the wall to make her stop, knowing she could push Alex away with her little finger if she wanted. 

“I have to go.” Kara's eyes flashed green and Alex startled slightly, feeling the anger writhing through the other woman like a brewing storm. 

“Where, what's going on?”

“Family, I have to, they can feel her.” 

Alex let Kara go, stepping back as the woman stepped into her space. “What're you talking about?”

“Blood Alex, blood binds us all. It's what she was trying to tell me. Astra, she has- I- I have to go, I have to help them they won't know what's happening, how to make it stop.” 

“You can feel her can't you.” 

“YES.” Kara nearly roared out the word, her hands curling into fists at her sides as she tried to calm herself down. “She can't stop it, can't shield them. You have no idea what it feels like Alex.” 

Alex studied the other woman carefully, feeling her heart beat painfully in her chest. The ache in her body that seemed to settle into it, the way her head throbbed, how her chest bloomed with fire and pain that caused her to wince as the pair stared each other down. 

“You do.” She whispered, realization dawning on her to the point that it brought tears to her eyes. “You've felt it before. When-”

Kara nodded slowly, seeing Alex finally come to understand. “When I watched everyone I knew die.”

“My god Kara.” 

“There's someone out there who is going through that, confused and scared and they don't know how to control it, I have to find them. To help them.” 

Alex nodded a few times over, tears falling to the floor unchecked. She reached up then, rubbing at the side of her own neck before activating her comm. “Command override, Vasquez, bring up the display in cell seven alpha.” 

“Ma'am?” 

“Override and bring it up, main screen. General Lane is the monster here, and I want everyone to see it. I need to know where the loyalties of my people lie. Do you understand?” 

There was a long pause between them and Alex caught the screen in the lab behind Kara switch over to the feed, feeling bile rise into her throat at the sight. Kara for her worth just looked at Alex and no where else, she couldn't if she was going to get out of here. 

“Disable emergency evac tunnel one alert notifications, security override kilo, alpha, delta, two. Discretely prep the portable sun fusers, hand held, and field scan a medical recovery team under my direct order and supervision.” 

“My god...” came the breathless reply from Vasquez as she watched the screens in front of her, taking into account the people around her before responding properly. “Anything you need Director, I'll have names and reaction stats asap.” 

“Cut the feed after another minute, then scrub records and sec footage accessible by Lane or other army personnel.”

“Understood ma'am. Vasquez out.” 

Alex focused back on Kara who was practically shaking in front of her, she swallowed carefully, the strength of her conviction on this matter and what she intended to follow through with in the very near future seemed to staunch the influx of emotions and sensations she had started to become overwhelmed with. 

“Do you know what you're doing?” Kara asked not daring to look away as her periphery still saw flashes of green on the screen. 

Alex shook her head in the negative once. “But I know it's the right thing.” Unsure where her sudden bravery came from she stepped forward, before she knew it her hands were in Kara's hair, pulling her in as she kissed her to try and will the pain and horror of everything around them away, if only for a moment.

Kara stood stunned, unsure of what to do at first, hands covering Alex's own and filtering through her fingers before she kissed her back only to feel them break apart again. 

“I have to go.” Kara's voice was rough, her heart beating hard enough to make her dizzy. 

“I know.” Alex said, refusing to release her just yet. 

“I'll be back.” 

“I know.” 

“We, you, we'll talk.” 

Alex nodded slowly. “I know. Now go, before they notice.”

Kara swallowed, flexing her fingers until she was holding Alex's hands before she surged forward and kissed Alex back until the other woman whimpered. “I love you.” The words rushed out of her and she lingered a beat longer before breaking away and racing towards the emergency evac tunnel system leaving Alex in her wake. 

“I know.”

\-------

“I'm coming!” The pounding on the door ceased with Cat's shout, she unlocked it and threw it open before hanging up the phone.

“Where is he?”

“In his bed, upstairs.” The door slammed behind them and locked as Jenn rushed up them two by two with Cat hot on her heels.

“I didn't know who else-”

“It's okay.” 

“Is Grace-”

“She's on stand-by as is Pharos.” They rushed down the hall, Carter's whimpers already reaching them. 

“I'll get clearance for the roof if I need to.” Cat supplied, climbing back over to her son who was shaking and still holding his head. 

“Hey little man. What's going on?” Jennifer was already pulling out items from her bag, setting a lead on his arm and waiting for the read out. 

“Don't know, head, body, hurts, can't see. Fire, on fire.” 

Cat rubbed her thumb across the back of his hand tucked against the bed and his head, it was the only place she could touch him that didn't make him try to curl away from her. She could feel her heart racing and her own body temperature rising, there was a definitive ache that seemed to settle into her bones but she dismissed it in part of her age and more so due to the tension of the situation. “It's gonna be okay Carter, I promise.” 

Jenn cut her eyes over to Cat who looked at her like a wild animal protecting its young before she just nodded once, not wanting to set her off any further. “Could be an allergen, a food? Something impacted, I won't know until I can get him to relax a bit.” 

“We didn't eat anything we don't normally, if it's allergies it's something new.” 

“He's going through puberty, sometimes that happens.” Her machine beeped and she kept her expression somewhat calm as the read out of his body ticked another degree higher. 

“Cat, we need to move him.” 

“I tried he just-” 

“CAT, we have to move him, bathtub, right now, he's burning up.” 

“Okay, okay.” Cat swallowed, leaning down to Carter's level as best she could. “Baby try, try to look at me okay?”

Carter nodded slightly, his eyes opening into slits, Cat saw the redness in them and something else flash which she convinced herself was just a play of her angle and the lights while Jenn started prying his bedclothes from under the corners of the mattress. “We've got to pick you up.” Panic reached his eyes and Cat choked back a sob, drawing in a deep breath. “I know it hurts, I know everything hurts, it'll be so quick, so so quick.”

“Cat now.” Jenn tossed the pillows off, going back to the door to open it fully. “Which do-nevermind, I got it.” The sounds of water running filled Cat's ears. 

Jenn pulled surgical scissors out of her bag when she came rushing back in, carefully pulling the edge of Carter's shirt up so he didn't jump before she started cutting. She swallowed hard, his skin was flushed red and seemed to pulse with his heartbeat. 

“Grab the sheet on either side of him near his shoulders.” Jenn commanded, already scooting back to grab the portion by his lower half.

“Be brave baby, and keep breathing, just keep breathing.” Cat spoke as she moved, sniffling slightly as she gripped the sheets around him, feeling her heart stutter as he whimpered again. 

“One-two-UP” Both women twisted and lifted and Carter screamed, Jenn lead the way, backpedaling into the hall and across to Cat's bathroom. 

“Almost over Carter it's almost over. Just br- breathe.” She started humming, for herself or for Carter she wasn't sure but it was keeping her focused as they stepped around her sunken tub. Cat herself stepped down much to Jenn's strained sounds before they put him down into it. 

“Head up, head up.” Jenn urged as Cat slid around Carter, pulling the sheet and Carter's head onto her leg. 

“Hum Carter, you know the song hum with me please.” She urged, using the sheet as a barrier to pull him up higher as he curled tighter in the tub, cold water sloshing around the pair of them. 

“I've only got four packs-” 

“Freezer, downstairs. The bar, check the bar.” 

With practiced ease, Jenn snapped the insta-cold pouches and shook them before tucking them around Carter. “Waist level, turn it off.” Another second and Cat could hear the woman bounding through her apartment and into her kitchen. She heard the ice tray rattle about and more noises before turning her focus to Carter. 

“That's it, that's right, that always calms us down.” Carter hummed, or tried, in broken phrases, murmured words she assumed were made up breaking past his lips as she cupped water in her hands and ushered it around him. 

Minutes later and Jenn was back, setting more ice packs into the water. “You're going to freeze Cat.” 

“Don't care. He's not cooling down.” His skin was still flushed, his head hot, even as she poured water into his hair, his humming only becoming louder as he tried to tamp down on the pain. 

“Miss Grant?”

Both women froze, looking at one another. 

“Did you leave the door open?” Jenn asked in a panic as Cat shook her head in the negative. 

“Miss Grant?!” 

Cat tensed, she knew that voice, and just as the first syllable began to leave her lips she corrected herself when she saw blue, red and gold standing just beyond the threshold. “Kara...” 

“Supergirl?!” Jenn dropped the towel rod she'd pried off the wall, looking back at Cat dumbfounded.

“Oh gods, Carter, is-” Kara pushed into the bathroom, nearly skidding across the floor to them. It took Jenn a full minute before she shook herself back to reality and pulled the monitor from her back pocket. 

“Pushing one oh four. We've got to get him to a hospital, this isn't going to work.” 

“Supergirl?” Carter broke through, only to curl tighter in on himself. “Not again, please stop.” He cried and without prompt Kara pushed her way into the tub. Cat, like any protective mother hugged him closer looking at Supergirl as if she had the strength to break her. 

“Cat, let me have him. He.. I can help him.” 

“One oh five.” Jenn interjected 

“Cat!” The woman jumped slightly, something going unspoken between them. 'Trust me' She swore the words were in her head again and with a blink she let go of her son. 

Supergirl grabbed for him instantly, even when he cried out. “Carter, I know you're a hero, you proved that on the train.” She pushed the hair back along his head, holding him up even as his body curled in on itself. “I need you to look at me, to focus, focus on your family.” She swallowed hard, waiting for his eyes to open. 

Jenn slid closer to Cat, watching the pair as the monitor beeped another degree higher. 

Carter dug his fingers into his scalp and forced his eyes to open, the sight nearly broke Kara when she saw the bright green reflected back at her. She held him up, until she felt his muscles begin to relax, she slowed her own breathing down and channeled her own focus on what she knew was the only thing that was going to help him. When his eyes opened fully, she felt it, their connection, their blood bond and let all of the pain raging through his mother, feeding in a loop to him, surge through her. 

When she stammered Cat reached up then, setting her hand on Carters back, making Kara gasp but their contact never broke. Not until Carter fully relaxed and started to shake from the exhaustion of his muscles and the ebbing of his adrenaline. Kara held him firmly until Cat scooted forward, taking the weight of her son back against her body where he sagged against her and promptly passed out. 

“He's okay.” She whispered, her voice a shell as her hands continued to shake. “Get him out.” 

Cat held back the sounds of her relief, even if her eyes betrayed her, Jennifer sat there with her mouth agape until her machine beeped with a normal temperature reading. She was immediately back into doctor mode then, helping Cat pull him out of the tub, surrounding him in towels and carrying him off to the other room. 

Kara remained in the tub as they saw to Carter, her breathing a broken shell as she, carefully set her palms on the flat around the edges of the tub as memories from being in her pod when Krypton exploded flickered into her brain. She pushed through the memories, the searing of pain no one else would understand ever. She drew in a deep breath, letting it out as tremors ricocheted through her before she closed her eyes and set her head in her hands.

“Breathe. Safe. He's safe, son is safe.” Like a mantra she spoke the words over and over in her native tongue, hoping somewhere Astra would hear her. 

She never heard Cat re-enter the room, or felt how close she was when she knelt down, it wasn't until the other woman touched her that she stilled completely. She felt love, intense gratitude and something else, something beyond anything she could describe as she felt Cat's hand fan over her back under her cape. They sat like that for a long moment, even when Jenn came to the door, just watching until Kara seemed to square herself and let out a final exhale before picking her head up out of her hands.


	6. Life Bonds By Choice

It was hours later when Kara returned to the D.E.O. the same way she had come out. Making her way through the command center, Alex acknowledged her presence with a faint nod before gesturing slightly to her left where Kara came to stand. 

“Everything okay?”

“As it's going to be, do we know anything?”

Alex shook her head minutely. “The General and his men came out about five minutes ago and went to another location on the south end of the building, given what they've been bringing up they may have a location but it looks like they're running recon. Regardless I don't know what it's going to accomplish. If she's no longer working with Non like she told you, then there's no telling what exactly they got out of her.” 

Kara let out a deep breath, feeling her chest ache and her shoulders fall slightly before she shook her head. “If she knew anything she'd put up as much of a front as she could, but I don't know why she wouldn't give them the location of Non's base, unless she doesn't actually know.” 

Alex gave a small nod. “Which is another possibility.” She looked over at the other woman a moment before turning back to the main display. “You should take a minute, the sun room is charged near my office. After that, you should go home.” 

Kara nodded, not wanting to put up a fight, she needed the extra energy, or at least a boost from whatever it was she had expended helping Carter, not to mention all that was draining her emotionally with everything going on. “Let me know if anything changes.” 

Alex watched Kara slip out of the command center and down the hall towards her office until Vasquez pulled her attention. “Confirmation that the person of interest is no longer required by General Lane and his men ma'am, she is unconscious and in transport.” 

Vasquez turned slightly, looking over her shoulder at the Director. “Should we deploy?”

Alex glanced to another screen, noting the small compliment of Lane and his men before giving a nod. “Set up notifications if they cross this sector,” Alex pointed the hallways leading out from the micro-recon room they were contained in. “If need be, set up a lock down protocol to delay them if they move within the next thirty minutes.” 

“Understood.” Vasquez went back to her keyboard, running over the proper commands and setting a countdown timer which she synced with her watch. “Ready when you are ma'am.” 

“Have your team meet me at the secondary containment elevators, hardware is already in place, I want twenty minutes in and out.” 

“Yes ma'am.” 

The pair parted without another word, leaving another officer to take up Vasquez's post while Alex implemented her little coup against the General. She was risking a lot by carrying out these orders, but ultimately it came down to trusting Kara, who believed Astra, and in that belief there was something else General Lane was not informing them of concerning their methods with Astra, and now the entirety of the DEO knew it. 

Alex made her way down the hall, seeing Kara wasn't in the sun room told her everything she needed to know and she pushed herself that much faster. She was met at the juncture of the hall by Vasquez who passed her one of the new portable sun fusers, as she liked to call them, and a small metal case. The pair stepped into the elevator together and coded the path to Astra's cell. 

Like a well oiled machine they were met by three others when they arrived, each confirmed by Vasquez before the five of them made their way into Astra's cell. 

“Not again.” Came Astra's voice wary of the boots pounding across the floor as if they were walking across her skull. 

“Don't talk.” Alex's voice sounded as her cell door opened and the outer cell door locked by default. Vasquez turned the Kryptonite levels off and the rest of the team filed in after Alex into the much larger cell. “We're not here to hurt you I promise.” 

Two of the men lifted Astra from the floor, careful when she whimpered as they laid her out on the shelf for better access. Already they had their lamps powered up, applying direct contact where they could at varied points across her skin. 

“You are Kara's.” She muttered, her throat felt like it was coated in sand paper and filled with gravel. 

“Yes. Just stay still, we're here to help you. Kara trusts you, so I'm trusting that.” 

“What they did wasn't right, I don't care who or what you are.” Simmons added as he set his sun fuser against her lower back along her spine. 

Alex opened the case Vasquez had given her and noted Astra's immediate rise to panic until she held up the clear vial for Astra to see. “It's a counter measure, it'll purge the Kryptonite from your system.” 

“How-”

“Family secret.” She allowed, loading the injector. “Think of it like a vaccine meets activated charcoal, it's going to latch onto the contaminated cells and absorb them, then convert it to waste. You'll be weak for the next few hours while it works.”

“And those?” Astra gesture weakly to the sun fuser Vasquez was setting against her forehead. 

“They convert light to mimic the sun. Almost like solar panels. Haven't had the opportunity to test them until now.” Alex explained as Astra nodded faintly and just let her body relax. 

“Ten minutes.” Vasquez supplied, looking to her watch. 

Alex nodded, “Simmons, Tarek, drop and walk, secure the hall and the elevator. Outer door override is seven, alpha, zulu, niner.” The pair nodded before doing as they were ordered, slipping from the room quietly while the remaining three continued to work. “Leigh, finish up and head back up to command, eyes open.” 

“Seven minutes.” Vasquez supplied as she moved the fuser to the broken places across Astra's throat. 

“My son,” Astra rasped, “they cannot--”

“Kara took care of it.” She glanced up at Vasquez before dosing Astra with another round of the serum she had. “After this, I don't know who or what it is you're talking about.” Alex stated matter of factually, as Vasquez broke away to secure the outer door. 

Alex herself was finishing up, keeping the diagnostic 's she had gotten from the first scan to the one that was being output now before pushing to a stand. Astra grabbed for her wrist almost painfully, stopping the woman from further progress. 

“When they come in again, I will give them a location, there's only one I know of, the other was destroyed. Do not send your men.” Astra warned, waiting until Alex broke their gaze before releasing her. 

“We will get you out of this.”

“It may not be in the manner with which you hope Brave One.” 

“Sixty seconds.” Vasquez interrupted leaving Alex to step out of the cell and secure it. Her steps were quick as she followed Vasquez, the rest of her team dispersed as if they had never been there and when the pair of them arrived back at the command center General Lane was just rounding the corner back into the heart of the room.

Kara landed heavily in her apartment, prying off her suit with little effort, she didn't bother with a shower or anything else aside from an over sized shirt before crawling into bed and pulling the whole of her blankets over her head to try and shut out the world. Across the city Cat sat coiled in one of her living room chairs, Jenn tucked in on the couch across from her, both completely lost to exhaustion, while Carter was still soundly asleep in his room from earlier.

\-------

The next day was a whirlwind of activity, Astra, true to her word had given the General a location, whatever information she had provided prior to that was something they would have to sort through via the General's soldier's activities later on.

“She's given us a location. We're mobilizing now to get Hank.”

“Astra would never-”

“Kara listen to me, Astra gave us -a- location, I'm not risking my men, not when General Lane is so willing to risk his own, but as the Director, if there's a chance to save Hank, Kara, I have to go.” 

“Then I'm coming with you.” Kara said before getting up from her desk in a flourish and slipping out of CatCo via the safe-house her and the boys had set up. 

By the time they arrived the sun had set and General Lane's voice resounded through all their comms. “Echo team, you are clear for weapons free deployment.” 

Alex was the first out of her vehicle, where Supergirl landed shortly thereafter. 

“General Sir, negative, Supergirl is on site.”

“What the hell is she doing there? Director this is a human rescue mission-”

“I called her. If you won't let me risk my men to get Hank back I get to at least have her to watch my six.” 

“The containers are lined with lead, I can't see through them. I don't like this.”

“Echo team deploy.” The General barked before their point man gestured to the far containers. 

“You heard the General, move out and secure the containers, watch your six. I've got these two.” He gestured to Alex and Kara who were already moving to the container nearest them.

In a burst of blue and white light Kara's heat vision melted the container lock, revealing Hank sitting in the chair like before causing Alex to move forward with that much more determination. 

“Hank!”

Kara stopped, setting a hand on Alex's shoulder as she saw the crystals with the flicker of the hologram. “Bomb!”

With as much super speed as she could muster she turned, dragging Alex with her and grabbing hold of Echo team's commanding officer and throwing him away from the container. She felt the shock wave before the heat and crouched down, bringing her cape around herself and Alex as the world turned to fire around them.

Back at the DEO the display showed all containers on fire, the entire location compromised and all but four vital signs from Lane's men flat-lined. 

“My men...” 

“It was a trap, we were played.” 

General Lane felt like his head was going to explode as the voices came over the comm before he turned from the view screens.

“Did asking the prisoner not-so nicely work like you planned General?”

The man shot his head up, looking at those around him for the person who spoke, not seeing anyone out of place or appearing to even be looking at him. He cut his eyes once around the room before looking at Vasquez. “Relocate the prisoner to the containment cell. Now.” 

“No sir.” 

“Excuse me?” He warned, stepping closer until other DEO agents moved closer to Vasquez. “We have specific orders not to move the prisoner.”

“You will do what I say or so help me god.” 

“You do not have the proper authority, or in this moment the time, Admiral Nelson is on the horn sir, something about direct orders of her own and something to do with the President and a visit from Superman.” 

The General lingered in that place for a moment, looking around the room at those who outnumbered him before straightening his stature and his uniform. “Patch it through to the other room.” 

“Yes sir.” 

By the time the General was done with his phone call, if you could even call it that, he found himself face to face with the prisoner, Supergirl and the Director escorting her through the command center, with a fully armed detail of DEO agents. What surprised him more however, was the betrayal of his own men, and the agreement of a prisoner exchange that he was not going to stand by and watch. If the DEO wanted to bury themselves then he would have no part in it. 

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Kara murmured where they stood ahead of everyone else as Non and Hank landed.

“It is the only way to secure your Director.” Astra glanced at her niece then Alex before looking ahead of herself again. “Have faith, remember.”

Kara nodded, taking a deep breath inward and squaring her shoulders as Alex removed Astra's bonds, and waited with baited breath as Hank started towards them and Astra towards Non. 

What none of them were counting on was, as soon as Astra got within arms length, she hauled off and punched Non, who in turn hit her right back and into the ground. “Advance!” Non's voice resounded like thunder as Astra launched herself at him again with a shout. 

“Hank you have to transform.” Kara heard Alex throw out as she rose a few feet off the ground. 

“I can't take all of them.” Kara shouted, charging up her heat vision until Astra stopped struggling, holding Non by his shoulders, whatever she was saying in Kryptonese dying on her lips as she turned to look at Kara and Alex then back to Non. “Call them off.”

“You know you can't win, whatever they've done to you in there has made you weak, sick. And I want you to watch her suffer.” 

“No. She was a child then, and is still one now, call them off and I will offer no resistance.” 

“Astra no!” 

“Do it Non.”

Non shifted his jaw, narrowing his eyes at Astra. “Stand down and withdraw.” 

The tension in the air hung heavily until those around them flew off and into the night, Non grabbed for Astra then, who true to her word put up no resistance “I should still make you suffer.” He looked back at the group before firing his heat vision at Kara, causing Astra to shout and claw at him throwing the pair of them off balance as Kara went flying back into the SUV behind her. 

“Don't shoot!” Alex urged as DEO agents around her powered up their weapons while Non secured Astra in front of him like a shield in her weakened state. 

“Go ahead. Take your best shot.” 

Just as the word rang out from his mouth his head snapped backward, leaving Astra to cry out in pain as the K-round that impacted Non's forehead shattered and cut into the side of her face. 

“Nice try Agent, but like I told you before, your little toys can't hurt me any more.” His eyes flared to life as he glared at Alex and everyone took cover as he left a burning trail in his wake, taking to the air with Astra struggling against him. 

Kara made to follow but Alex grabbed onto her cape near her shoulder halting her movement as she pushed up and out of the windshield. 

“Astra!”

\-------

When they arrived back at the DEO, General Lane and his men were gone, and Vasquez fielded another call from the Admiral, only this time for Director Henshaw. After that little check in and another, more confidential conversation he now found himself cornered in one of the secure holding areas staring Supergirl down as she ranted and raved about him being a martian and not entrusting her with the secret of that.

“We have to get Astra back.”

“She is quite capable that one.” Hank supplied, looking between the pair before holding up a hand to still their protests. “She knew what she was doing.”

“But Non-”

“Is a bigger threat than you think.”

“All the more reason to go after him, we have to get her back.”

“No. She told me, when we passed each other, no matter what, for the both of you not to follow.”

“I can't just let-”

“You can.” Hank pressed, pinning Kara down with his red gaze before letting out a deep breath and relaxing. “She was a General before she was your aunt or super powered, remember that.”

Kara let out a sigh and Alex stepped closer. “Let's work on something we can fix now.” She looked pointedly at Kara who frowned at being outed. “Your boss.”

“Is right here.”

“Your -other- boss.” 

Kara made a face and let out an exasperated noise when Hank rose his eyebrow at her. “Okay, so...” 

In Opal City Adam sat in his apartment turning the letter in his hands over and over again. Everything Carter said about their mom when he was here never really sunk in until now. When he texted his brother he got a vague text back about being sick but missing him just the same. He'd watched the news around National City and their hero, and short comings. He thought about Thanksgiving, and everything Astra had said about his mother and then looked back at the letter before reaching for his cell phone. 

He dialed his boss' number and waited. “Lana, hey it's Adam, yeah, I'm going to need that extra vacation time you mentioned with my new position. Yeah, no, my brother, Carter yeah, I'm gonna go surprise him. He's so used to coming here, yes, so I'll finish this next two weeks out transfer over to the new office then take that time.” He chuckled half halfheartedly, rubbing the back of his neck. “I'll see what I can do about that, Supergirl, right. Okay, thanks. Goodnight.”

Back at CatCo, the company's namesake sat in her office, sipping on sake in an attempt to calm her nerves. Her son was being watched over by Jenn and Grace at the house, Kara had given her notice and was no where to be found and somewhere deep inside. Nestled within the depths of her very foundation, something was not only wrong but it was like a herald of something worse to come.

She heard a thump from out on her balcony and upon looking up saw Kara, feeling the dread grown in as much as it seemed to dissipate. “I never realized how absurd you looked in that ridiculous outfit. Blue, yellow and red, its like a color wheel threw up.”

Kara, or more Hank, glanced down at himself then back up, he'd have to be sure to bring that up to Kara, even as a joke, perhaps he'd even throw in how certain he was Ms. Grant would be inclined to be the first in line to design a new one for her.

“Miss Grant, James Olsen said you wanted to see me? Something about my being your assistant?”

“For God's sake are we going to keep on playing this tiresome game-”

“I told you Ms. Grant, not Supergirl.”

“Well, this, seems taken care of. Lot of people out there, needing my help.”

\-------

Astra for her worth continued to struggle with Non as they flew.

“Keep it up love and I'll drown you. In your state you wouldn't last five minutes.” He tightened his grip on her painfully, a fist latched around her suit at her waist.

“Kal-El killed you.” She spat, clawing at his arm to no avail, she felt sick like he kept stating, it was such an odd feeling after so long that it was almost humorous.

“No, no. The son of Jor-El merely utilized his fathers failed methods to subdue us. Had he truly made us human like he thought he had, the fall would have killed me. That was how she found me, broken, but not destroyed, and showed me the truth. If Kal-El knew -anything- about being a true Kryptonian-”

Astra shoved at Non, throwing them off their trajectory until Non righted them once more, prying her head back by her hair as he spoke against her ear. “We are Gods on this planet Astra, except you, no, these humans have poisoned you, killed you with their barbaric methods. I can smell the Kryptonite on you, see it in your aura.”

Astra felt weak, different, but recalled Alex's words, she would be weak for a while until whatever she dosed her with purged itself. A part of her wondered if Alex had tested it before now, though doubted it highly. “I may be poisoned, but my mind is still my own.”

“Not for long.” He threatened, pushing them faster. That was when she felt it, a seed of energy blooming in her chest. It wasn't until Non started screaming that she realized the sensation had filled her completely. She saw his hands, where they now grabbed her uniform instead of touching her skin, glowing bright blue struggling to hold onto her. “What's happening?!”

Astra glared at him, her strength returning to her in rapid succession, along with something more. She reached for his face, her hands leaving white hot prints where ever she made contact with his skin. 

“What're you doing?! Astra, Stop!” 

Astra glowed, like a star, brilliant and white hot beyond even Non's tolerances. With that burst of Rao knew what, she twisted in his grasp, grabbing for his face, his neck, anywhere she could get hold of him until he grappled her uniform and flung her down towards the ocean leaving a bright blue streak in the sky until it was snuffed out by the water and struggled to fly away.

Cat slipped out onto the balcony of her office, drink in hand, before dropping quite ungracefully in one of her chairs. She pulled her feet up onto the cushions underneath herself and took the first sip of her last glass of whiskey. With a hard swallow and a slow exhale she turned her gaze out to the city, running the past few weeks events over and over in her mind, trying to correlate Kara and Kiera. She knew the pair were the same, even if that little visual trick in her office earlier was rather inventive. She took another sip of her drink catching a spark of something off in the distance. 

Her thoughts shifted as she scanned the horizon, the light pollution from the city making anything of distinction hard to determine. At first she saw a bright reflection on the water, until the reflection started to grow outward. Sitting forward she slowly pushed to a stand, glass forgotten as she focused on the bay and just beyond and then she saw it a brilliant streak of blue light tearing through the water and then the sky. The light painted the darkness in strokes of while and bursts of blue trails; her hands were on the edge of her balcony as she watched the light grow brighter, and in essence closer. Her breath caught when the trajectory of the light shifted, pin-balling between buildings until it seemed to disappear somewhere near her own. She looked back to the trail, seeing it already begin to fade in the darkness from where it started only to turn back to where it had seemingly ended and felt her breath catch. “Carter.” 

There was a small tapping sound just outside and Carter's eyes immediately opened, he sat up after a second and then padded over to the window only to see Astra, in all her glowing glory right outside. He rolled in the window and reached for her but she kept herself from touching him. 

“Don't Ze'rao, I don't know what it may do to you.” She warned, flexing her hands even as they continued to glow, it wasn't as brilliant before but it was enough. 

“What's happened to you.” 

“I don't exactly know, but I know it is not good to others like me.”

Carter furrowed his brow and ignored her protest, grabbing for her anyway. He winced only faintly before tugging her to him and hugging her tightly. Wherever he touched her turned a softer blue, then faded to nothing. She swallowed hard and after another beat, wrapped her arms around him and hugged him, turning her features to rest atop his head. 

“I”m sorry Ze'rao.” 

He shook his head in her grasp, talking against her shoulder. “Supergirl came, because of you, whatever they did-”

“Is not something you should worry about.” She pressed, rubbing her hand in small circles down his back until his staggered breathing seemed to calm. 

“Are you really okay?” His voice was small, quiet, with the concern only a child manages to possess when something devastating happens to their parent that they don't understand yet. 

“Yes my son, I am okay. I will be okay. It will not happen again.” She promised with her tone but refused to say the words, to make that promise would be a lie, there was no guarantee she could promise she wouldn't be hurt again. Tortured however, that she could correct, with time and effort but it was going to happen. She drew in a deep breath then, placing a kiss to his temple. “You need to go back to sleep my son.”

“But you just got here.” He protested as she let him go. 

“This I understand, but I am alright, you are alright, and we will see each other again soon. You still need to sleep, as do I.” Her tone was loving but stern and with a small shift of his jaw he nodded, lunging forward one last time to hug her with all his might before breaking away from her and slipping back into bed. 

“Goodnight Ze'rao.” She whispered, floating back from his window and then up in a burst of speed just as Cat opened the door to their penthouse.


	7. The End of Childish Things Lead to A Strange Visitor from Another Planet, Bizarro

Weeks Later Kara landed in her apartment, walking towards her fridge. 

“Uh did you forget TV night? Game of Thrones, cheese pizza?” 

“Just flying around the city. I lost track of time.” She popped open a bottle of water and took a long sip.

“Everything okay?”

“I screwed up with Winn, might've ruined something and I don't know if I can fix it.”

“Did he ask you out or kiss you or something and you freaked out.” 

“What... how, did you?” 

“I'm an elite agent with an expertise in analyzing speech patterns and body language, I'm also a human being with eyes. 

You should've seen the look on his face. I did that.” 

“Well, here's us, we should come with a warning. I got Hank, J'onn to use his powers.”

“That's great!” She saw Alex's expression and shifted her expression. “That's not great.”

“Something happened, I don't know what but something bad. He won't tell me. I pushed him into changing.” 

“You? Pushy? Hank is strong, J'onn Jones is even stronger.”

“And you got somewhere with Max?” Kara tried to seem casual about it but the growing seed of jealousy pushing through her chest tainted her words. 

“I did, but I had to eat slugs to do it.” Alex took a hefty bite of her pizza and grabbed for the remote. 

“Wh-”

“I let him wine and dine me.” 

“Alex.” Kara sat up, “Alex, you shouldn't, he's dangerous, you should've called me, I should've had your back.”

“Max Lord is nothing more than reformed nerd with a god complex, just like every guy I dated in college. He's not going to do anything I won't see coming from a mile away.” Little did either of them realize the camera that was focused on them or the fact that one reformed nerd with a god complex stood in his labs with a sickening smile on his face. 

The next morning, after a long meeting Cat and Kara were making their way back to her office discussing the recent issues concerning the anti-alien senator and her press conference. 

“Who is in my office.” 

“I”ll call security. “

“No, don't.” Cat stepped into her office slowly, as all the air was sucked out of her lungs in an instant. “Adam?”

“Hi” He turned, offering her a small smile. 

“Hi.”

“I'm uh, sorry to uh to show up while you're working.” He gestured absently around her office, glancing past her to Kara then back to his mother. 

“It's not a problem, that's not a problem at all. Are you ok? Wh-why? Why today.”

“I got your letter.” He held up the evidence in his hand, stepping closer. 

“My letter, of course.” She turned and glared at Kara, who laughed uncomfortably and slipped away. “I'm glad you're here.”

“Thanks for reaching out.” He offered it back to her, her fingers struggling to stay still as she took it. 

“There is just so much to say, but I have a million things I have to do right now.” She stepped closer to him, taking in his features, he was so much taller, so grown up. 

“Yeah I uh, I figured, I'm in town for a few days, you free for dinner.”

“I will make myself free.”

“Thanks.” He made his way out of the office, stopping next to Kara's desk and looking over at her. “Have your cheerleader email me.” 

“Kiera!” Cat moved to her desk, dropping her things rather than setting them down on her desk as she tracked Adam through the main office area and into an elevator. “What have you done.”

Adam drew in a deep breath as he rode the elevator of his mother's empire down to the ground once more, feeling his head ache from the overwhelming nature of actually being around his mother for the first time in a very long while. Once he was back out on the street he hailed a cab and relayed the only other address he knew of in the city before watching it all pass him by as he rode along. 

“Lady Astra?”

“Yes Calex?” She spoke quietly, going over various forms and documents spread all out across her desk, all the while distorting the three sixty view of National City as it continued to display for her. 

“A Mister Foster is here to see you? Just arrived in the lobby.” 

Astra looked up then surprised. She switched off her desk and started to gather her paperwork. “Send him up.” She compiled her folders and set them aside, switching the security view on the far wall as she watched the young man as he got into the elevator. “Where's Carter?”

“Master Carter is still at school Lady Astra, I have double checked his bio-rhythms just to be sure as you have asked me in the past.” 

“Thank you. Get some water and have something to eat brought up, whatever he asks for.” 

“Yes Lady Astra.” 

She switched the screen off, leaving it to scroll through a variety of master art works before slipping out from behind her desk and working her way into the hall. She was already halfway down it when the doors opened, and Adam felt his shoulders relax slightly when he saw her. His progress was halted only by the Calex unit, who then scurried off to be useful elsewhere as he worked his way down the hall. 

“Mr. Foster.” Astra greeted him, her stance remaining neutral as he approached. 

“Adam, just call me Adam.” He offered, his hands already fisting inside his pockets. 

Astra nodded curtly, taking in his body language before gesturing towards the end of the hall itself. “Only if you call me Astra.” 

He nodded, shifting on his feet a minute before moving past her down the hall and into her office, she was behind him a few steps and took note of his position near the far windows. “There's a balcony just beyond that side wall, if you need some more air.” 

Adam shook his head, hands still in his pockets as he just stared out the window, or perhaps at his own reflection while Astra watched him carefully. She grabbed two glasses from the bar, filling them both with water before working her way closer to him. 

“Did you get a letter?” He asked after a long moment of silence between them, turning only slightly to look over his shoulder at him, then the water she placed near him on a nearby table before turning back to the city. 

“A letter?” 

“From my mother?” He clarified, easily hearing her intake of breath thereafter. 

“No.” Astra answered cautiously, taking a sip of her water. “Why?”

“I was just wondering if she was reaching out to everyone she abandoned.” 

Astra felt the ache in her chest for him as she saw his aura flare in colors denoting anger and confusion, slowly making her approach to him. “I don't even think she knows I exist.” She spoke quietly, coming to stand beside him, focusing on their reflections while he focused on the city moving about below them. 

“I know the feeling.” 

“No.” Astra shook her head, taking another sip. “No she knew you existed. Has always known, will always know. She is your mother, your blood, that is not something you ever just lose.” Her eyes cut to his reflection looking back at her. “Trust me.” 

Adam nodded slightly, looking away from her again. “Carter doesn't know I'm here.” 

Astra nodded herself, swallowing the last of her water. “I see.” She set the glass down without looking as she turned to face Adam, evaluating his profile until he finally got uncomfortable enough to look back at her. 

“I don't want him to know, because, even I don't know why I'm here.” 

“The letter-”

“Is probably not even her. She seemed, surprised.” 

“Did you just show up at her office?”

He nodded and she let out a breathless laugh. “Must be a family trait.” With his confused expression she continued. “Just showing up, there is such bravery in that act and at the same time immense confusion for those of us caught unaware by it.”

“But she reached out.” 

Astra nodded a few times, taking that into consideration, before looking back at him. “Sometimes we do that, as parents, try to reach out, fully expecting to grab hold of absolutely nothing, because that's all we've ever had. It's a bit of a shock when you don't exactly stop reaching out but have come to expect that nothing, tell yourself that nothingness is what you deserve. Until the one time we finally touch something.” 

Adam drew in a deep breath, letting it out in a huff before turning from her again to look at the city, easily finding CatCo along the horizon, wondering if his mother was there still. “I asked her to dinner.” 

“And?” 

“She said she'd make the time.” He sounded surprised, and Astra found herself stepping a half step closer. 

“How long have you been reaching out for nothing, only to find something Adam?” 

He licked his lips, tucking them inward as he chewed on her words, automatically starting to nod faintly, his eyes leaving the skyline and turning inward. He sniffed a moment later, drawing his head up and clearing his throat. 

“Why did you come here?” She asked finally, watching his aura spit and struggle with the emotions baring down on him. 

“I, I don't know anyone else in the city, or really anywhere else to go. I didn't want to just wander around or sit in that lobby waiting.” He offered before turning to look at her again. 

Astra gave him a reassuring smile, reaching up to place a hand on his shoulder. When he didn't shrug it off she viewed it as a small step forward in their progress, but that was the least of her concerns for the moment. She squeezed gently, to which he turned towards her more, his hands practically digging holes in his pockets as he flexed them and relaxed them to some beat in his head. 

“I don't have much to offer in that department. I have made some adjustments to the lower floors but it's not exactly what one would call a home.” 

“I don't, I can't, I just-”

“You needed something, nothing wrong with that. I'm happy to provide you what you need as best as I can. Even if that just means listening. You're not obligated to anything, especially from me, but I would be honored if you stayed, especially now that we have food on the way.” 

He smiled at that, with a hint of a laugh, to which she mirrored before gesturing back towards her office. “Have a seat, try to relax, we'll eat and talk. Or sit in silence.” 

Adam drew in a calming breath, letting it out with puffed cheeks. “Food is good, I haven't eaten since the plane, and I'm not so sure I'm going to be able to eat later.” 

“Let me finish up one more thing at my desk, then we'll get this all sorted okay?”

“Thanks Astra.”

She nodded and with another reassuring squeeze to his shoulder stepped away from him and back to her desk, settling up with her files and securing them in her drawer as she prepped the bunker area for her visitor protocol. Thankful Non and his ilk had been rather quiet lately, in order to enable her to get that element of her life secured to allow Carter to visit without being privy to all of her on-goings, and now apparently his brother.

\-------

“How did dinner with Adam go?”

“Oh.. and then there's that.” Cat supplied, trying to keep her emotions in check and doing a rather poor job at is execution. She kept Kara in her periphery and continued to stare at the every growing blur of the cityscape. 

“Why didn't you prep me?” She turned then, glaring at Kara. “You took it upon yourself to lure him in with your Sunny Danvers sentimentality, and then you just let me go there unprepared.” Cat swallowed back the growing lump in her throat, her eyes turning glassy. Even as Kara stepped forward she felt her jaw flex, fearful if the other woman touched her she would lose it completely. “He's never gonna talk to me again.”

“I'm sorry it didn't go well.” Kara edged closer, seeing Cat's emotions so clearly written on her face, in her eyes, the way all of it danced across the edges of her aura. She thought about reaching out to her but kept her physical distance just the same. 

“He didn't come here to see me, he came here because of the letter.” Cat rolled her eyes and huffed out a breath, trying to push all her emotions back in the little box they had seemed to be fine inside before now. “He may as well have come to see you.” 

Kara strode closer then, her hand smacking onto the concrete of the balcony edge and pulling Cat's attention. “I”m going to fix this I promise.” 

Cat let out another breath in defeat as the other woman turned and left. “Oh, Kara.” 

Across the city, the alarm for the elevator sounded in Astra's ears, pulling her attention from her latest experiment and pulled up the security array, immediately recognizing the code she had given Adam. “Calex, prep his room and secure this.” She slipped out of the room and grabbed her jacket on the way, pulling it over her uniform and hiding the emblem across her chest as she heard the hydraulics of the elevator lowering the car and its cargo. 

Adam was out of it in a burst of energy and frustration, nearly running smack into her as he rounded the corner headed towards the common room she had shown him before. “Damn it.” He swore as she grabbed for him to steady his balance. He shrugged her off then and she immediately let go, keeping her hands near him in case he flailed again. 

“Adam what-” 

“She didn't write the letter.” 

“Wh-” 

“She couldn't have.” He paced away from her, rubbing his hands over her face before he threaded them into his hair. “She just talked about herself, and her life and all these things. Just things.” 

“Adam slow down.” 

He turned towards her then, hands dropping back to his sides. “She didn't even say that she missed me Astra. Not once, it was, it was as if we were just two random people who happened to be sitting at the same table in the same restaurant because all the other seats were taken.” 

“This is how you know she didn't write the letter?” 

“Why couldn't she act like you did?” That statement made her blink, his eyes were glassy from emotion and anger was rolling off him in droves. 

“Adam,” she cautioned when he stepped closer. 

“When I brought Carter here, to meet his dad, the way you acted, when you saw him, when you talked to him. He talked about you for weeks, still does. He talks about you more than he talks about your brother. Why couldn't I have that? Just one thing. One, that I get, not him, why does he get the life I should've had?!”

He made to punch the wall but she intervened, grabbing his fist just before the wall and pushing it back with ease. They stood like that for a minute or two, neither of them backing down. 

“You are asking the wrong questions Adam.” She allowed after a few heated moments, keeping hold of his hand as his emotions spilled out of him into her. “And the wrong people.” 

“She chose, she chose everything else-” 

“Your father did that all on his own, I told you before.”

“But not why, you can't tell me why, only she can and I don't, I don't understand.” His body caved slightly, his fist relaxing in her grip until she let it go, carefully setting her hands on his shoulders as they shook. 

“Adam I'm sorry, I so sorry. I didn't mean to make it harder, neither did Carter, and your mother, she just, she doesn't know how to-” 

“What? Love me?” 

“Adam, that's not the thing to question. She loves you. She loves you so much.” He broke then on her words and she pulled him to her, wrapping him up as he let himself fall apart. 

It was a long while after, along with quieter more neutral conversation and some real food that the pair found themselves settled in the area Carter called the living room, Adam was on his laptop and Astra was working on the read outs of her earlier experiments. 

“I think I'm going to go home early.” He finally spoke, not looking up from his screen as he continued to work on whatever he had managed to occupy his mind with. 

“If you think that is wise Adam.” She looked over at him, saving her findings before setting her screen aside. 

“What else is there to do? It's not like I can call her up now and get her to answer questions after that disaster of a dinner.” 

“You could try. You never know what she might say.” 

“She could try too.” He checked his email one more time, before picking up his phone and scrolling through it. “Hard as her assistant has tried I'm surprised she hasn't called either. I'm sure she's still at work herself given her boss' work ethics.” 

Astra was suddenly struck with his statement, she knew Kara was Cat's assistant, that was easy enough to figure when she'd come flying at her weeks ago, despite her niece's attempt at backtracking. She watched him thumb through his phone before sighing and tossing it beside himself, closing his computer a moment after. In the back of her mind she knew it had to've been Kara that wrote the letter, given the woman's sentimentality and everything that had happened between the two of them in recent weeks. How little this man knew about his extended family, how far it went, how much bigger it really was. She contemplated telling him then and there herself, but held her tongue, he needed to work through this element with Cat first, then perhaps gradually he could be brought into the greater fold. 

“You don't think leaving would complicate the issue that much more? Especially on this note?” She spoke, settling back into her chair as he stood up and started pacing slowly. 

“I don't know. It seems worse than before, I was content with how it was before now, before that stupid letter and everything else that happened.” 

“But?”

He paused and looked over at her, before resuming his pacing. He put his hands into his pockets again, moving back and forth slowly across the room until he finally slowed to a stop, turning to face her again. “I had hope.” 

Astra tipped her head at him, taking in his body language and his tone before nodding up in some semblance of understanding. “That, is a precarious thing, especially in this situation.” 

“Now, I'm not even sure I have that anymore, not real hope.” 

“I would beg to differ.” She countered, easily seeing his aura, knowing he still had it, just that it was buried underneath everything else. “She didn't meet your expectations, initially. Perhaps they're set too high, so high even that you set her up to fail no matter what she did.” 

Adam shifted his jaw, scuffing his heel on the floor before taking to pacing again. She watched him move back and forth like an animal in a cage and continued. “You can't tell me you didn't have a perceived idea and expectation in your mind. Intermingled with all that hurt and all those unanswered questions, twenty five years is a long time to hold onto that. To build it, to work it up into some impossible construct for anyone else to try and figure out. I'm not excusing her, but while you've built that in twenty five years, she's built something else right beside it for just as long.” He slowed again, and she watched him take all of her words in until he stopped once more. 

“You have to help build the parts in between, just like she does, and neither of you seem all that well informed of how to do that.” She stood up and slowly made her way over to him. “And there are people clearly on the outside of all the things both of you referenced to build in that twenty five year time. They don't have the flaws, the questions, the emotions but they have perspective. Something they see reflected in themselves that they see needs to be fixed.” 

He drew in a deep breath, studying her carefully as she came into his space. 

“There are a great many things and people I wish I could have the opportunity with that you do now. No matter how disappointing or clearly rife with mishap, and I will never get that chance, ever Adam.” 

He drew in a deep breath with her words, starting to say something until his phone notified him of a new email. The two of them glanced at the object before he moved to it, scanning its contents and looking back up at her. “It's her assistant, wondering where I am, she wants to talk to me.” 

Astra watched him carefully as he looked back to the phone, crossing her arms over her chest. “There's a hotel a few blocks away, The Pryor, if you'd like to pretend you were there instead of here.” 

He, shifted his stance slightly, sending a reply before nodding. She moved away from him then, picking up her tablet and making the proper arrangements. “If anyone checks, it'll show you were booked there the entire time.” He nodded again before tucking his phone into his pocket. “I'll have a car for you out front, drop you off, you can just send a message through the front desk and I'll have it return to pick you up as well. Whether you come back here or wish to go to the airport.” She offered before glancing up at him. 

“Thanks Astra, I owe you.” 

She shook her head slightly, looking over the screen at him. “You don't owe me anything, we're family. That's enough.” She didn't wait for his response as she went back to securing his cover.

\-------

A few days later Adam came to her again, his resolve a little stronger but something else was clearly wrong. “Adam? What’s happened?”

“I’m leaving, for real this time.” That was evident as he packed his bag. 

“I had thought things were alright with-”

“My mom and I are fine.” He offered, moving about the room to gather his things. 

“Then someone else has hurt you?” His quick look up at her told her what she needed to know and with it she let out a small sigh. 

“The assistant, Kara.” She spoke the name almost reverently, and his aggression towards his things slowed. “She broke away from you didn't she.” It was a statement more than a question and with another sigh he stopped and looked at her. 

“I just, I think I tried to make something that wasn't there, and I may've cost her her job or at least a positive standing with my mother.” He sighed and took a seat. “She, she just couldn't I guess. She didn't really explain anything just, she didn't have time in her life-” 

“Adam. She works for your mother for one, for two, I, I did a little research into her when you mentioned her.” 

“What? Why?” 

“Family.” She stated as if it were obvious, even if she were really just trying to cover Kara's ass. “She, she does have some interesting things in her background, and I believe she's associated with other organizations outside of CatCo that do indeed take up her time.” 

“Other organizations? You make her sound like some kind of spy or something.” 

“No not a spy, more like a resource. CatCo is her day job, her steady everyday and sometimes night employment for sure, but there are other things that do take up her time, very important things.” 

“Why can't she tell me? Why can't you tell me?”

“Because they aren't for consumption by the general public, or by men who don't know how to put their hearts into something properly before assuming so much about another person.” 

Adam looked up at her with that statement, running over the past few days before frowning. “I really did sort of rush things didn't I?”

Astra came closer, sitting down on the bed across from him. “It's something to work on. Your perception of relationships is a bit screwed in comparison to others I would imagine.” 

He blinked and seemed to take that in, searching his feelings for his mother's assistant, running over each little moment with Kara he'd had in the past three days before seeming to settle into the reality of it all. “I should apologize to her. I said-” 

“You should call your mother first, if you told her you were leaving because Kara did something better for the both of you, then it makes any progress you may've made with her seem, secondary. Like it was just an accident of your involvement with her assistant, and now that it's gone, not even this bridge you've started to work on with you mother can keep you here.” 

Adam sat there for a long minute, feeling the depth of her words hit him in the chest like a ton of bricks. He grabbed for his phone a moment after, dialing his mother, a part of him was thankful that he hadn't gotten Kara when some guy answered and then transferred him over. 

“Mom?” Astra smiled faintly, getting up and slipping out of his room as he continued. “No, I, I just it wasn't Kara really. I pushed her, no, no.” He moved around the room slowly. “No I just, I said somethings I shouldn't have to her and the way I spoke to you wasn't right either.” He stopped moving, his expression falling with his mother's statement. “You already talked to her?” He let out a small frustrated noise as his mother explained more of Kara and her's exchange, about how she was just trying to stand up for her son. “Okay, just, stop stop. Mom. Listen, I'm still going to go, I need to square some things up back, yeah uhm, Look I'm going to take a late flight, do you think we could have an early dinner, talk this over right?”


	8. For the Girl Who Had Everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Major divergence at least for one character... enjoy

“Lady Astra?” She was pulled from the thoughts with the voice across from her, one of her greatest achievements, especially in handling her anonymity in all this going forward. 

“Yes Mr. Lord?”

The man across from her seemed unsettled for a moment before looking back to his hands and then back up to Astra. “I am unfamiliar with the density of this current construct. It seems somewhat primitive given my prior functionality, as well as that designation.”

“That is because you are a mimic Calex, or will be, his consciousness is being extruded as we speak and when you leave here today you will take over as Maxwell Lord as well as all his holdings and companies.”

“Lady Astra, is this ethical?”

The woman sat back a moment, looking the Calex over before letting out a deep breath. “In Earth standards, no. He should be given a trial and sentenced for his crimes against his own, and a separate tribunal for his crimes against those of my blood. However, due to the nature of his crimes and violations of a multitude of laws both on Earth and for those of us not originally from here, the D.E.O. has seen fit to keep him in a sort of stasis along with his Supergirl construct. Given what he managed with all those earth women, and as for the answer to my blood, they agreed to let another shadow company take over his holdings. It may not be ethical but it is a mercy considering the level of psychosis and destruction that one individual has managed in such a short span of time.”

“This is my function then? To be a better representation of Lord?” 

“In essence, you will be him, his face, his presence and influence, even though in actuality you are an extension of me and our endeavors.”

“What of his consciousness Lady Astra, will I not then be just the same as him before? Prone to malfunction?”

Astra smiled faintly, stepping around her desk and coming to stand in front of her construct. With a gentle touch she ran her fingertips across the skin of his cheek, faintly amused by the sensory reactions not previously provided to him before now. “You will not be lost, I swear it to Rao, you will have the methods simply to mimic the human, perhaps some of his intellect and internal thought processes but only as they apply to our needs. You will have reference of his memories and experiences but not their emotional connections, nor the fractures of his psychological make up.”

The construct took another moment to study her, reaching up with his own hand to mimic her actions across her cheek. His head tipping to the side curiously at her veiled reaction. “Then I am ready Lady Astra, if you will oversee the final steps this Calex will dutifully maintain these parameters to the best of our ability.”

“Thank you Calex, I promise I will be available at all times from now until after.”

“This is settling.”

There was a beeping on Astra's desk and with an apologetic smile she slipped away from him, looking over the notification. “It is time Calex.” 

He nodded faithfully, moving to the corner of her desk until she joined him, allowing her to lead the way towards the bunker and his final moments as just her Calex into something more. 

\-------

“Has it been deployed?”

“Absolutely, she will succumb to its effects within the next few days and with Supergirl out of the way, the next step will be to take out Astra and then nothing will stand between you, and ruling this world.” 

Non turned from the observation table to watch the woman beside him as she wove her way to him slowly. “Then Myriad is almost complete?” 

She grinned slowly, coming to stand right in front of him before nodding. “Weeks, maybe less, and it should be done. Not even the son of Jor-El will be able to resist it.” 

Across the city Alex stood in the vacant apartment, looking over the picture of her and Kara when they were younger. She drew in a deep breath, the fear wrought from the uncertainty of Kara's current predicament threatening to overwhelm her. She thought back to when she had kissed her weeks ago, how they both ignored any implications from it and when Kara had been presented with Adam, Alex had done her duty. If he made Kara happy, then she wouldn't stand in the way of that, in fact she had pushed her sister in to the man's open arms, despite the complications. If Kara was genuinely happy, Alex could learn to be content. She herself had seemed rather incapable of happiness for so long, seeing it in someone she truly loved was almost enough. Almost. 

She caught movement out of the corner of her eye, seeing a black uniform easily recognizable of one of the other Kryptonian's she was quick to pull her weapon and started firing without hesitation until she was held aloft and struggling to breathe. 

“You should already know I would not harm you.” Astra let Alex go a second after, making sure she was steady as she regained the full function of her lungs. 

“I thought you were one of them.” She wheezed, pulling in a deep breath. “You need to change that outfit of yours if you're not associated with the rest of them.”

“I'm not, I came here to help Kara.” 

Alex swallowed, adjusting her jacket as she got int to he other woman's space. “You're a little late for that.”

“Kara and you both saved me from a death without honor, even with releasing me to Non, as a fellow solider I expect you understand the meaning of that.” She waited for Alex to calm down enough before she continued. “Kara's been attacked by a telepathic parasite known as the Black Mercy.” 

“It has her in some kind of coma. Her brainwaves, they're still active, it's like she's awake.” 

“The Black Mercy has her trapped in life like hallucinations, her perfect fantasy life. One that grows more and more real with each passing moment.”

“How do I wake her out of it?”

Astra shook her head slightly, “Kara has to reject the fantasy herself.” 

“But if she doesn't know it isn't real, how can she reject it?” 

“I will tell you how to help her, but you have to trust me.” Astra stepped closer, never taking her eyes off Alex. 

“The last time I trusted you, six soldiers died.” Alex stepped closer, her own gaze unwavering. 

“I warned you not to go as well, they were not your men.” Astra dropped her features enough, giving Alex the more dominant stance between them before glancing away, only to catch sight of Kara as a much younger girl, and assuredly Alex beside her. 

“I knew there was more to you and my niece.” 

“She was, she-”

“You were raised together.” Astra supplied for her looking back up to Alex. “But you do not view her as a sister do you.” 

Alex lifted her chin slightly, straightening her shoulders back. “No. I haven't for a long time.” 

Astra studied her carefully, watching the other woman as her head tipped. “You love her.” 

Alex frowned and turned away, putting more space between the two of them. “This doesn't help her.”

Astra was right there in Alex's space again when she turned back, causing the woman to jump. “You are hers, her family here, and I am her Aunt, you understand what that makes us.”

Alex shifted her jaw and straightened even more. “Nothing.” 

Astra shook her head twice over, the corner of her mouth lifting in a small smile. “Family. There is no manner with which you can get me into the DEO right now without detaining me, therefore I cannot be the one to do this. However, if Kara is indeed living her perfect fantasy life, there is a possibility I am already a part of it. Which is why you must be the one to help her, to make her reject what the Black Mercy is doing to her.” 

“What are you saying?” 

“I'm going to tell you how to help Kara, and you're going to see her world, her life, where she came from.” 

“How do you know?” 

“Because as much as I have forced myself to find some manner of contentedness on this planet, were I under the Black Mercy, I would be home on Krypton, with my family. I can only assume the same for my niece, and you Alex, you would be the only thing to break her from that. No one from Earth has ever been on Krypton that she can remember, and if she cares about you, loves you like I think she does, you have to remind her of it.” 

Alex swallowed hard, stepping back from Astra and turning back towards the apartment, and inward to her own thoughts and feelings that she had been shoving away from herself for so long now. “What if it doesn't work?”

“Then you will have to decide, to stay with her for the very short time she has left until the Black Mercy takes her, or live alone without her.” 

Alex drew in a shaky breath, hands digging into her hips as she considered Astra's words. 

“There is one more thing.” 

Alex let out a broken laugh, pushing the wetness from her face before she turned to look at the Kryptonian with red rimmed eyes. “Of course there is.” 

Astra shook her head slightly. “This is not for me, as much as it is Kara, if you do succeed.” 

Alex raised a brow, crossing her arms tightly over her chest as Astra approached her yet again. 

“Non is the one behind this, he is the only one to have access to that creature. If it works, then he will come after me and perhaps Kal-El. If it does not, he will find ways through the two of us and others that are important to Kara to try and break her down.” Astra swallowed, so many more people were involved with them now, disjointed and unknowing; were Non to figure out all the connections the results would be even worse than just Kara being gone.

“I need you to kill me.” 

Alex looked at the woman wide eyed and backed up a step looking utterly lost at the request. “You what? How, I don't, you've got to-”

“Listen to me Brave One, if you save Kara from the Black Mercy, he will use me, like before, he will use you, Kal-El, anyone and everyone he can get a hold of that is important to her. Your General Lane is a school yard bully by comparison to what I have seen Non capable of. I am family. I am her Aunt, I was his wife. If there is any honor left in him, even slightly, he will follow through with our traditions.”

“Traditions?! You've got to be kidding me.” 

“It will give you time, you and your Kara and anyone else you trust to prepare for him. He is not going to stop Brave One, he has done this before and failed once, and that was merely at the left hand of another General. If you do not believe me ask your Superman, or your Director about that incident. I fear he has something worse, something or someone we have not seen yet guiding his hand. Someone far worse than General Zod could have been.”

Alex stood dumbfounded, unsure if she was actually retaining everything Astra was implying. After a moment or two between them she made an exasperated noise before huffing out a breath. “You want me to save Kara, and then break her by killing you. You're all she has that's real. What about your son? You said before you had a son!”

“Alexandra, there is no future for my son without this.” Astra stepped closer, setting her hands on Alex's shoulders, even if it seemed to bother the other woman. “I have put things in place, things she will not understand, things you will have to trust me in. Just as I will trust you in giving me a proper death for them all to witness. Kal-El was too human to do what needed to be done concerning Non, Kara can not fail where he did.” 

 

Alex swallowed hard, searching Astra’s features for a long unsettling moment before nodding shakily. “Okay, okay, just, tell me how to help Kara now against the Black Mercy. We get that done first, I’m not leaving her again. If we do that, then you come find me about the other thing.” 

 

\-------

Alex took a sharp breath inward, coming to only to feel her arms restricted, the orange glow of Krypton caught her off guard and a second later she realized where she was again. She caught the end of Alura's words, banishing her to some Phantom Zone and immediately pushed towards Kara from her podium. 

“Kara, if you let them do this, if they take me away you and I will be trapped here until the Black Mercy kills us.” 

Zor-El turned to his daughter. “Do not listen to her, once she is gone we'll be happy. Like we were before she came here.” 

“Why do you think they're trying to silence me, it's because they're afraid of what I have to say.” Alex struggled against the guards holding her, trying to maintain eye contact with Kara who she could already see faltering in her resolve. 

“She's trying to confuse you with lies.” Alura spoke gently, as if taking pity on Alex and the hallucination she felt she was a part of. 

“No. I'm trying to remind you of the truth!” Alex pushed against the guards, her voice breaking. “Life isn't perfect. I know it can be hard and it can be lonely.” She groaned as a guard shoved her onto her knees. “Especially for you. Kara, you have sacrificed and you have lost so much. I wish you could've had a life with your family. But even if you did Kara, it wouldn't be this.”

Kara swallowed hard, watching the human spy struggle so fiercely against her bonds, and the two men holding her. The emotion coming from her was not something one could make up, not without having some reference for that kind of pain. Even then her aura would betray her, and all Kara could see was absolution, and something else, something that made a part of her terrified and elated at the same instant. 

“Because this, it isn't real. ” The room shook then, like an earthquake seizing the building. “And deep down Kara, deep down you know it!” 

Kal-El grabbed for her, and Kara held him steady, even as she looked at Alex who continued to fight.

“I can't promise you a life without pain and loss. Pain is a part of life, it's what makes us who we are. It's what makes you a hero.” Alex threw her elbow up then, knocking one of the guards free of her and immediately went after the other, fighting for her life and for Kara's with every ounce of herself until she was standing alone. 

In an instant she rushed for Kara, trying to reach for her only to be slammed into by Zor-El. “You fight everyday to keep people from struggling, like you have. I know you can remember me if you try. Please.” She was hauled up and yanked towards the transporter. “Please try Kara, because Earth, needs Supergirl!”

“Supergirl.” Kara started forward, feeling the hands of her family grab for her. 

“Yes remember that life, with Hank and Winn and James, your friends need you.” She pushed against her captors again, seeing Kara turn from her. “And I need you Kara, I need you more than you'll ever know. I already chose you Kara, I chose to come here and stay even if you send me away now.” She felt her body pushed down into the floor and still reached for the other woman. 

“Kara I can't choose this for you, you have to choose it yourself.” She screamed as she went down with a blow to the back of her legs and a clothesline to her gut. “Please come back to us Kara please. Come back to me. I love you.”

\-------

“Non, I know you can hear me.” Astra spoke, using the higher pitched frequency she knew only other Kryptonian's and some varied species of this planet's fauna could hear. “I know it was you that deployed the Black Mercy on Kara.” She floated above the city, hidden under the cover of a moonless night. She kept her emotions in check and her heart steady, knowing full well what had been agreed to as soon as Alex had sent her the signal about Kara. 

She needed to find out the depths of Non's plan, just how far it went and who else was behind it. She knew him well enough having been married to him that this was not something of his own doing, nor was his return to the land of the living. He was a grunt at best, with some element of tactical knowledge coupled of course with other past Kryptonian's ideas warped into his own. His prowess with technology on the other hand was something sufficiently lacking, which made the implementation of the technology he seemed to be using lately all the more confusing to her. 

“As a matter of negotiation, I have something to offer you, should you wish to find me. I will remain here at these coordinates should you find it in yourself to seek out my offer.” 

She caught the shift in the wind a second or so after, turning in the air just as he floated near enough to her. 

“My dear Astra.” 

“Non.” 

He smiled, sickly, and his eyes gave him away, she knew she had him. He saw the small light across her chest, knowing her armor was at the ready and could easily sense the Kryptonite knife at her waist. “You wanted to negotiate?” 

Astra nodded, watching him cautiously. “I know that the humans figured out the Black Mercy, despite your efforts to the contrary.” Non's entire demeanor shifted with that knowledge, a growl coming from deep in his chest before he swore a curse on Rao. 

“What they won't expect, is the two of us working together again.” She said with a dangerous lilt in her voice, forcing her aura to shift enough so that her words appeared true to him. The shift and her tone made him settle to a more calming seethe, brimming at the edges as he watched her and drifted closer. 

“You have come to your senses then?” He questioned, daring to touch her face, albeit tentatively since their last meeting. 

She turned into his touch, letting her lips drag across his fingertips before nodding to him. “It was foolish of me to try things on this planet with a more primitive incentive. The only way, is to just take control from them.” 

Non grinned, and her aura maintained its interest, he pulled her closer then, staring her down before pressing a small device into her chest. “If what you say is true, then you'll help me, we will bring down the heir's of the house of El and rule this planet as it should be.” She glanced down to the device, not recognizing it immediately before looking back up to him. 

“I'll start on one end, and you the other, once this is complete... nothing will stand in my way again.” 

Astra nodded as he fed her the location to the array of satellites and what all the device she held would need to be programmed to in order for it to take hold. It was then that they split apart, what he didn't count on once he reached his location was for his niece to show up so suddenly. 

Astra for her part landed on the opposite side of the mass array, immediately signaling Alex once more, letting her location ping one final time before she turned off her locator. “Lord.” She spoke into her comm system, pulling his attention from wherever he was. 

The man excused himself from the group situated in the DEO and found a quieter spot, she affixed a small transmitter to it, and relayed the coordinates, informing him she wasn't going to activate it so that he could retrieve it and follow through with whatever discovery needed to be made. She heard the chopper's approach, even if the humans felt it ran silent and pulled the injector from a pouch in her suit. She looked the clear vial over one more time before loading it up and jamming it into her thigh. 

Gun shots bit into the metal beside her, sending sparks flying. Astra took a deep breath then and turned towards their origin, seeing Alex descend from a rope. “Stronger together.” She whispered before powering up her heat vision and waiting until the height of Alex's decent wouldn't kill her before severing the cable she was repelling from. 

“Do it!” Astra shouted, forcing her features closer to J'onn's as she held the Martian in place, her knife threatening to break the skin of his throat. “You're the only one who can!” She felt the tears falling from her eyes unchecked, knowing Alex was behind her, she could feel the hum of the Kryptonite blade even with her k-shield engaged. She heard Alex's grip tighten around her weapon and J'onn's expression shifted from self concern to realization of what exactly Astra was trying to do. Their bodies were still pressed together even if it was merely to keep J'onn in place against the hard ground so he wouldn't interfere.

“Astra don't do this.” He pleaded, his resistance against her shifting even as she pressed the knife harder against his throat as a warning. 

“There is no other way. This promises you the time you need to stop him and the others.” She looked over her shoulder at the woman poised behind her. “Do it.” She swallowed, “Where I showed you.” J'onn reached for her other arm then, trying to break her hold. “You have to.”

Alex was shaking, her face twisted in anguish as tears fell down her face, she flexed her grip on the hilt of her weapon, terrified, head moving back and forth just enough to relay that this was the very last thing she wanted to do. She saw the shift in the woman's gaze and knew this was the only way to push Kara somewhere she needed to be. She thought of herself in that moment, how far she had to go before she finally took ownership of her life, then to what J'onn had gone through in order to be the man he was now. 

“DO IT NOW!”

Astra's head flung back and her eyes went wide, a disbelieving gasp breaking past her lips. She wanted to scream, she wanted to laugh, she wanted to cry but most of all she wanted Alex's weapon out of her chest. She let go of the Martian, who immediately shifted and reached for her as the sword slipped back out. She grabbed for the man forcefully, nails piercing the skin until she collapsed in a heap on the ground. 

Her head bent forward and weight supported on her hands she gasped aloud, coughing past the pain as she let her body collapse and turn over and dared to look up past J'onn to Alex, one hand finally coming to wrap around the woman's boot, squeezing in reassurance. “Call her.” Her voice was a hoarse murmur, as the stars above and the galaxies beyond started to blur, she focused on Krypton, or where its remnants continued to flutter about in space.

Alex sheathed her weapon, looking to J'onn who knelt down beside Astra, calling for Kara over the comm system. She was beside Astra then, a hand coming to rest in the center of her chest as the woman surrounded the single appendage with both of her own. “You did so good Brave One, Rao would be proud.” 

“I'm sorry.” Alex tried, looking up at J'onn then back to Astra who shook her head. 

“I'm not.” 

Kara was there in the next instant after Alex stood, the man's words barely heard and the silent exchange between him and Alex ignored behind her as she knelt over her aunt. “Hello little one, I'm so happy to see your human was able to bring you back.” Astra wrapped her hands around the strength of Kara's arms. 

“When I was under the Black Mercy, you were there.” Kara's voice broke, her tears remaining un-shed as she clung to the woman. 

Astra swallowed hard. “As your enemy.” She affirmed, feeling the pang of remorse rattle through her stronger than the pain searing through her body. 

Kara shook her head in quick succession, the ends of her hair brushing across Astra's cheek. “As my family.”

“Kara, my little one,” she reached up then, pushing against the pain to pull herself off the ground. “Listen to me. Non, cannot be stopped.” She held the woman's face in her hands, struggling to breathe. “If you get in his way alone, he will kill you.”

“He, he said something about Myriad. Tell me, tell me what it is before it's too late please.”

Astra's eye went wide at the mention, as well as the object drawing nearer to them from so far off. “I'm sorry my Little One, I can only hope you'll understand in time.” She struggled for one more breath, using the last of her strength to pull Kara to her and place a gentle kiss against her forehead before her body relaxed completely. 

Kara let out an anguished scream, collapsing over her Aunt's body until she heard the panic in Alex's voice behind her. 

“Kara, we have to go... NOW.” 

\-------

“Alpha and Beta squads never reported in, given what happened out there, I'm assuming they never will.” 

Hank approached Alex, his look stern and his tone no-nonsense. “You're going to explain to me right now why you kept me out of the loop.” 

“Explain to me why you lied to Kara first.” 

Hank lifted his head, searching Alex's face tactically before letting out a resigned sigh. “You're Supergirl's hero, Kara's hero, and I couldn't take that away from you or her. She came back for you when nothing else worked with the Black Mercy. Whatever it is you and her Aunt planned here today,” he shook his head watching her expression and shoulders fall with his words. “I know you're in love with her, and you're afraid of so much.” 

Alex started to protest but Hank held up a hand. “Let me take the brunt of this from you, for now, when the time is right we'll figure this out together, after we deal with Non and whatever this Myriad is.”


	9. Truth Justice and the American Way, in Solitude We Fall

Carter shot up from his bed with a jolt, a hand coming to rub at his chest absently and the ache he still felt there before he looked around his room. He reached over and clicked his beside lamp on, only to come away disappointed when he didn't see Astra anywhere in his room. He could've sworn she was there, even in his sleep. He looked to the window then, still shut and locked tightly before he let out a small sigh and pushed the covers off his body. 

He moved quietly over to his closet, pushing the sliding door aside in order to get inside it as he retrieved the small communicator the woman had given him so long ago. Pulling it from his hiding place he watched the small lights within it continue to blink, his worry growing even more so as he put it back and slipped out of his closet. It had been at least a week since he signaled her, and almost twice as long since he'd seen or heard from her. 

If it continued he would have to make a point of dropping by her building unannounced. The more difficult part there would be managing to go unnoticed by his mother. Ever since she'd hired a second assistant he had noted Kara had more free time, and with that came longer visits even after his mom called and said she had left the office and would be there within the hour. Kara barely made it out of the penthouse each time and Carter still couldn't put his finger on why she seemed so adamant about staying, even if all they did was play another round of Mario Kart or something mindless. 

He looked at the clock one more time and let out a small sigh, he knew she wasn't anywhere near him now and hopefully his mother was still asleep. He edged out of his room, quietly making his way downstairs and into the kitchen to get a drink and maybe a small snack, still unable to push the ache away from his chest or the worry in his mind about Astra aside. 

“If you drink straight from the carton, so help me.” 

Carter nearly dropped the milk he had in his hand with his mother's voice echoing across the kitchen. He let out a frustrated noise and grabbed for a glass to pour into. “You scared me.” 

“So did you, why aren't you asleep?”

Carter set the milk back in the fridge, forgoing a snack given his mother's presence, seeing no need to be quiet any longer he shuffled his way into the living room before coming to stand at the mouth of their balcony where she was currently reclining. 

“Dreams again.” He said truthfully into his glass, moving outside when she beckoned him over. 

“Good or bad.” 

Carter shook his head slightly. “In-between this time. Still woke me up though.” She ran her hands through his bed tousled hair before tapping the end of his nose gently with her finger. 

“Come sit.” 

Carter looked surprised for a half second before stepping onto the lounger his mom occupied, she curled her legs up and to the side to make room for him, offering the second blanket she had brought out with her to him. Unable to help herself and the smirk that followed as he wrapped it around himself like a cape. 

“Are you ok mom?”

Cat couldn't help but track what seemed like a shooting star across the sky before looking back to Carter and offering him a halfhearted reassuring smile. “I've been better.” 

“Is it Kara?” 

She raised a brow at his presumptions and straightened slightly. 

“She's been over here a lot more than usual, says you've got someone else to do your work for you and that's probably better anyway.” 

Cat hummed to herself, running her fingers over her lips in thought. “She says a lot when I'm not around doesn't she.” 

Carter shook his head slightly, taking another sip of his milk. “Not so much anymore, she used to talk about you a lot, plans and what your days were like so I'd be aware I guess.” 

“And now?” 

Carter thought to himself a minute, shrugging into his makeshift cape. “She just seems, I dunno, sad I guess.” 

Cat's brow furrowed as she watched him, studying his body language even as he finished off his drink rather pointedly. “Has she said why? Or are you just assuming on her behalf?”

Carter leaned over and set his glass beside his mother's own empty one, grabbing the edges of the blanket and pulling them tighter around himself. “Not exactly, but I know something's happened.” 

“And how could you know that without her telling you Carter?”

“Cause I know what it looks like, being lost or whatever.”

Cat straightened further watching her son carefully, this was news to her at least as far as Carter himself was concerned. She had noticed Kara's shift in behavior around the office, and truthfully she hadn't intended Siobhan to appear like the replacement she was pushing herself to be. If she were honest with herself she had intended a second assistant to provide Kara some breathing room for her, otherworldly duties. There was no convincing Cat otherwise, she knew her assistant was Supergirl, and that others in the office were in on the ruse, so why not help them, help Supergirl in a rather unsuspecting manner. 

What she hadn't counted on was the woman to take it so hard, then again there had been some interesting elements in the news lately concerning her exploits as National City's hero. Perhaps there was much more going on that Kara let on, via either of her personas, and somehow she had only exacerbated their already tentative relationship. Cat caught herself on the word, wondering where it had filtered in from. Of course, were she to really think about it, Kara had been the longest relationship she'd had with anyone at work. Jenn easily surpassed the younger woman in years of friendship but Jenn also knew Cat before she was the woman she had built herself into now. 

“Maybe you should talk to her or something.” Carter interjected her thoughts pulling Cat's attention back to him from the sky as she nodded in consideration. 

“Do you like Kara, Carter?” She used the woman's actual name, though Carter didn't seem to pick up on it, at least as far as she could tell. 

“Yeah. She's great.” He smiled, he connected with Kara easily, even if he had been standoffish and rude when they had first met. Now it seemed odd to consider his life, even if it was only a few nights a week, without having her in it at all. “She's really smart and doesn't make me feel like I'm not when I don't understand something we're talking about. I definitely like her a lot better than the other lady you had bring me home last week.” Carter made a face, tugging his blanket tighter. “She's...” he shook his head. “I dunno, something's off about her.” 

Cat smirked, in order to hide her concern about his assessment of Siobhan. “I'll keep that in mind.” She reached over then, tugging him to her, which he let her do willingly as they sat hip to hip in the lounger and looked out over the night sky. It wasn't long before he drifted back off to sleep, leaving Cat to her thoughts and the statements her son had made. She lingered outside for another hour before extracting herself from the lounger tugging Carter into just enough awareness to see himself to bed before she herself followed his example.

\-------

Maxwell Lord, or in this case his mimic, moved easily through the bunker beneath Astra's building, all screens around him were running nearly ten times their normal speed and all projects that had been left for him had been completed. All save one. 

When the Martian had arrived, he'd had the foresight to have the modified Calex he had built in his stead for Lady Astra handle the man. Making sure to stay far enough away until the shapeshifter had delivered the retrieved cargo he had been tasked with and departed back to his own headquarters with none the wiser. 

Carefully he typed in the correct sequence of Kryptonian glyphs and was rewarded for his efforts with a gentle hiss as the seam of the pod separated and then retracted into itself. He moved away from the pod for only a moment, returning with a small tool to which he gently manipulated until he made contact with the back of the woman's skull. 

“Try not to damage me.” He said quietly to himself as he deactivated the chip located just under the skin. He stepped back a second after, half worried she would have grabbed for him by the time he moved. When she didn't however he wondered if perhaps the human had not followed his Lady's instructions properly and that she had instead chosen to stay among the stars. 

That notion was almost immediately rectified when she sucked in a sharp breath and sat up in a panic, hands reaching for her chest before they and the vast majority of her body burst into a brilliant bluish light. Lord fell backwards into a table with the burst of energy, blinking his eyes until his mechanics intervened and he could look at her properly. 

“Lady Astra?” He cautioned, righting himself as he took a step closer. 

Astra was quick to pry at her suit, splitting the teeth of the zipper apart in order to view the space in the middle of her chest where Alex had struck her. There was a think white line bisecting her chest, and as her fingers touched the scar she felt no residual pain or ill-effect of the Kryptonite that had penetrated her body. 

“It worked.” She looked to her hands, the glow already beginning to fade as she seemed to calm down. “By Rao it actually worked!” Lord was quick to help her up, her balance a little shaky until she could get out of the pod properly, stepping into the center of her command room before pulling the man into a hug. 

“My lady, I'm not sure why you figured it would fail.” 

“Because it wasn't mine, Alex made it, I just synthesized it. I could not ask her for that serum all the while asking that she kill me for some greater good none of them would understand.” 

“I am glad you are alright.” He allowed, seeming oddly genuine. 

“As I am to see you have adapted well.” She smiled at him gently before taking a look around the room, her expression faltering at the displays around her. “What has happened?”

Lord let out a dark sigh. “I'm afraid my human counterpart put many things in place, that I have only just now discovered, in order to counter attack the other Kryptonian's efforts to raze this planet.” 

“What do you mean?” 

Lord moved away from her then once he knew she was steady, pulling up an area of the city and the compound his counterpart had left as a trap, before overlaying footage of Kara and the effects of the red Kryptonite running rampant through her system. 

“By Rao, what has he done?” 

“Something the humans will be coming after him for again, which means I am going to be limited in my abilities to help you when they come to detain me.” 

Astra let out a dark sigh, watching her niece and everything she ever built as Supergirl burn itself away with her display. “She's in pain, and the influence of whatever that is is only making it worse.” She looked to Lord then, seeing the mechanical flash behind his eyes easily. “Are you sure you want them to find you?”

“They will need someone to blame, and it is rightfully his fault. Though perhaps, I can alter their perceptions of him, even minutely.” 

“How?” 

“He had intended it to kill them, at the time that even included Lady Kara, I can change him, his intentions if I allow them to take me back to the DEO like before with the Black Mercy. If they do not seek to incarcerate me for the duration of my life, then perhaps it will help them learn to trust me where they could not him. Seeing as I am a direct extension of you.” He let the words linger between them until she seemed to relent. 

“Tell me where she is right now.” 

“Her signatures read that she is at her place of work, given the hour I don't believe it is a good thing for her to be there right now.” 

Astra nodded, pulling Lord to her in another hug. “Give them what they need, help them however you can even if the Brave One pounds you into the ground as she is so fond of expressing. It will make the rest of this all the more easier.” 

“Yes Lady Astra, do not over exert yourself. You have been in stasis for longer than intended.” 

“And left out in the yellow sun, unfiltered.” She smiled faintly. “I will remain here, there are things I need to take care of myself. If you can not undo what he has managed with Kara, or if something worse comes to pass, you know what to do.” 

“Yes Lady Astra, until we meet again.” He nodded to her curtly, before seeming to slip back into the Maxwell Lord the rest of the world knew him for as the pair parted. 

Astra for her word, despite the escalation of her niece's actions across National City, remained in her bunker, the news easily providing her a less accurate version of what was going on. It wasn't until she heard shouts and some report of another alien that her full attention was pulled from her work, the second she saw the Martian in his full green glory she felt her heart sink and the complex nature of their next steps get all tangled up again. She saw Alex briefly, and Supergirl, all in black, the house of El emblazoned on her chest not unlike Astra's own uniform and felt it all hit her that much harder. 

“Stronger together, you sentimental idiot.” She watched them detain Hank as he shifted back to his human form on camera in front of everyone who could get their hands on some kind of transmitting device. Thanks to his actions, which really were not unlike her own prior to now, he forced her timetable up that much further. “They're going to take your D.E.O. and Kara with it.” She swore faintly under her breath before moving to her command console waiting until her call was answered. 

“General Astra?” The voice seemed extremely surprised to hear from her. “Kara said you died.” 

Astra lifted her chin slightly, looking at the younger man before nodding. “Not something I suggest anyone else attempt. I need your help Kal-El.” 

He came closer into view, the emblem on his chest making her draw a deep breath as she waited, watching his expression shift and grow that much more serious as she fed him the latest news reports from National City. “You have it.”


	10. Manhunting the World's Finest

Lucy continued to pace about Kara's apartment, even with James watching her every move and Kara spouting her rhetoric about trying to fit in until she started coming closer to her again. 

“I trust who you are, under that uniform. I trust in that person, the person who helped me, and Cat months ago. The person who I can see is afraid, not of me, but of the failure the expectations of those around her have settled on her shoulders. Your sister, your father.”

“You know nothing about either of them.” Lucy spat, moving away again but not out of the apartment just yet. 

“I know your father is a monster, who has tortured and god knows what else people like me.” 

Lucy cut her eyes to Kara then, the flare of them a dangerous one. 

“But I also know why he does it, not that I excuse it or agree but I know what fear can do to people. What it makes them capable of, especially when they have convinced themselves that it's the best course of action to protect the ones they love. Like a father would a daughter.” Or an Aunt would her niece, Kara thought to herself, watching Lucy as she contemplated her words. 

“You are your own person, and I know you're living in the shadows of those around you. Lois Lane is a household name on this planet thanks to Superman, and I have no doubt being a woman in the military, with a General for a father that can't be easy to live up to either.” 

Lucy turned her gaze away, catching her own reflection in the mirror as Kara moved closer. “I know what that's like. More than you could possibly imagine. My mother, my mother is part of the reason I'm even here, as is my Uncle and my Aunt, my family is both directly and in-directly responsible for the destruction of my entire planet. Everything I -ever- knew, because they were afraid and because they wanted to protect their legacy.” 

Lucy glanced over at her again, feeling her walls break down brick by brick. 

“Hank and Alex, they're all I have. Once again, my entire world is being torn away from me, from them, out of fear and I'm tired of it. No one deserves that, no matter what they've done or you think they've done. Why they had to lie to keep those around them safer, or where they come from. Hank has done nothing but hold the line as director of the DEO, even against aliens like him.” Kara moved around the other woman then, while James just watched silently. 

“And Alex,” Kara let out a soft laugh, the resounding mirth reaching everywhere but her eyes. “She's, well she's amazing. And I am terrified of whatever it is this Project Cadmus is. So much so that I want nothing more than to tear that tin can of a holding cell apart and take everyone who tries to stop me to a hell they won't soon forget.” 

Lucy stiffened slightly, seeing the faint underglow of Kara's eyes as she spoke only to watch it fade away as she blinked. 

“I love her too much to do that to her, to force her once again into my shadow and pay for the consequences of my actions when she's been doing that and protecting me my whole life. “

Lucy studied Kara for a long moment, turning her attention to James knowingly, watching his gaze turn remorseful before turning away from her completely. With a new awareness of the depth of Kara's words she looked back to the woman, her shoulders squaring slightly. “You don't just love her do you?”

“Lucy.” James warned. 

“No, I know that tone, I know those words and everything behind them.” 

Kara looked between the two of them a moment as if she wasn't actually a part of the conversation until Lucy forced herself into Kara's view. “You're in love with her.” 

Out of nervousness alone Kara laughed, awkward and soft, watching Lucy as she looked through Kara to James, making her frown somewhat in confusion as to who the other woman was actually referring. “I, said, I said I love her-” 

“You stand here, with all this,” Lucy gestured to Kara's suit as she buttoned her shirt back up. “Talking about lying, trying to make a point that by doing so you're protecting yourself. The ones closest to you, that you would betray everything else by doing so if it meant that other person was safe and no one was the wiser about you.” 

Kara swallowed as Lucy looked back to her directly, searching her eyes and making Kara that much more nervous. “Admit it.” 

“Wh-” 

“That you're in love with her.” 

“She, I- people wouldn't-” 

“What? Understand?” Lucy pressed, forcing Kara back a step or two as James came closer only to stop when Lucy put a hand up to him to back off. 

“You're in love with Alex, Kara, admit it.” 

“Lucy don't, this isn't-” 

Lucy pushed past Kara and got into the man's space. “I'm still in love with you.” She confessed, glaring at him just the same, “even when I thought you were in love with her.” She gestured to Kara whom James looked at apologetically. “I stepped back, turned away my position at Catco for you-” she turned to Kara. “The both of you because I thought it would make you happy.” She looked back to James. 

Kara looked between the both of them, slowly moving off to the side where she could take a seat, thankful Lucy's ire wasn't directed at her anymore. 

“Because I'm still lost enough, in all of this, to be in love with you. And all those things she's saying, the way she says them, the way her damn face lights up when she talks about her, her Director. I'd want to rain hell down too. For you.” 

“Lucy, I'm sorry, I didn't-” 

“No you didn't, you're so wrapped up in these super people that you can't talk to me, you couldn't tell me about this, about her, before now.”

“I asked him not-”   
“I'm in love with you too.” James spoke over Kara, staring at Lucy. “So much that it scares me and I don't know what to do with that. Everything you are, your father and his expectations, I mean look at your damn chest Luce, all those medals and-” 

“They're pieces of tin and brass James.” 

“But they're important, they make you important. You're this incredible woman who can kill a man six ways from tomorrow and argue with the joint chief's of staff on foreign policy for the world from a legal standpoint,” he glanced up at Kara who nodded at him in encouragement. “I just, I wanted to feel like I was capable of doing the same thing. Of helping, selflessly like I've seen you do. In a way, Superman and Supergirl gave me that but I didn't think I would lose you because of it.” 

Lucy bit at the inside of her lips, feeling the burn in her eyes before she nodded to him. She sucked in a sharp breath through her nose and turned to look at Kara who suddenly looked like a deer caught in headlights. 

“Don't think I'm finished with you yet.” She husked, swallowing the lump in her throat as she turned more fully towards the other woman, pressing her back into James at the same time.

\-------

The rescue was over in a matter of seconds, even if to Kara it felt like forever, she watched Hank put away the two soldiers into the back of the transport hold before coming back to her conversation with Alex. 

“Then let me take you to the Fortress of Solitude where you can be safe and let -me- find Jeremiah.” 

“Kara, I have to do this.” 

Kara turned her gaze away, even when Alex grabbed for her as she shoved her emotions back into the closet of her mind. 

“Hey, have faith in me, like I have in you.” 

“What'm I gonna do without you?”

“You don't need me.” Kara felt a thousand Kryptonite shards tear into her heart with those words. “You never have.” 

“You took care of me anyway.” Kara pushed through the stones gathering in her throat, catching Lucy out of the corner of her eye. 

“And look how great you turned out.” Alex tried, why did this have to be so hard, Kara didn't need her, not now, she had Lucy, clearly, and James and the rest of her friends. Cat would work with the city and eventually get them to love Supergirl again, and if things got really rough, her cousin could always come to the rescue. 

“Alex, I-” 

“I love you Kara.” Alex pressed, interrupting her without looking at her and immediately pulling Kara into a hug. 

Red rimmed and glassy eyes leveled on Lucy as Kara wrapped Alex up in her arms. Lucy for her worth gave Kara a pointed look and a small nod as if to encourage her before Kara closed her off by dropping her gaze. “I love you too.” She spoke quieter than before, letting the rest of what she would say fall away as Hank emerged. 

“Don't worry, she'll be safe.” 

“Of course she will, she has you. We both have you.” 

Alex started the bike, as Hank started the one beside her while Kara stepped back and beside Lucy who just looked over her shoulder at her until Kara turned her eyes to the ground. 

“I don't want to even imagine the hell that woman's going to bring, just being a human.”

\-------

Astra paced back and forth across the floor of the bunker enough to wear a groove into the floor. 

“The more you do that the harder it's going to be to buff out.” Lord popped up on one of her secure screens, pulling her attention and stopping her motion. 

“Tell me you figured something we can deploy on a larger scale with what I gave you.”

Lord made a face and let out a breath causing Astra's shoulders to fall with his expression. “I can only replicate the frequency blocker on an individual basis Lady Astra, and with the time we don't have I can only make so many before I run out of time.” 

Astra growled, resuming her pacing across the floor. “Alura should've dismantled that thing bit by bit then put it in a jar and tossed it into the mouth of Val-Or!” 

“The fact she was able to contain it in the first place was a miracle alone.” 

Astra let out a huff of a breath, arms coming to cross over her chest as she turned back to the screen. “What about other options, the doomsday option I gave you.” 

“Lady Kara will not like it.” 

“I know she won't but if it's the only way to get Non-” 

“It is one option, there are others, we just haven't come across them yet. We're not even sure our own ideas will actually work against this Myriad. There is no telling what that thing has done to it in the meantime.” 

Astra shifted her jaw and nodded before rubbing a hand over her face as if to clear her frustration. “How are the other elements coming along?” 

“Promising, you should have the monthly report of Lord Technologies already at your disposal, not to mention the shift in his public image concerning charities and his views on certain family members of yours recently.” 

“I had seen that yes. Subtle Lord, very subtle.” Whether she was being factious or not was hard to tell, of course he had his own agenda that he had been working on, outside of her purview, but he had felt it was for her betterment. Especially if the world as they knew it were going to end, might as well end it right. He was her guardian after all. Surely she would see his methods as a means of preservation of her well-being.

“You did check your agenda today correct Lady Astra?”

“I have a conference call with a few contractors, another concerning varied divisions becoming privatized through acquirement and purchase on the basis of new contractual agreements on my defense front. There's a few notices I have to attend to concerning some donation 'war' you and 'my brother' somehow managed to get into about clean water across the planet. Thanks for that one, we're supposed to be silent investors remember.” 

“Did you fail to see your lunch appointment?” 

Astra rose a brow, turning back to look at him suspiciously. “I don't have a lunch appointment Lord.” 

“Last minute, it is apparently one of the most taxing things for anyone in National City, and others apparently, to manage.” 

“What are you talking about?”

“You have a lunch appointment with Cat Grant.” 

Astra felt her body go limp, at least on the inside, by all appearances she managed to stay upright, although the burning hole in the concrete above the screen was an indicator that she had forgotten herself. 

“Cancel it.” 

“I can't.” 

“Why in Rao's red flare not?!” 

“I scheduled it months ago, before this.” He gestured to himself. “It was the only date she had available and originally I had intended merely to vet her privately and consider having you invest in some of her causes.” 

“Did you get reprogrammed or something while I was away one night? Did Carter mess with you?” 

“Lady Astra, you know I have a self preservation protocol. No one has 'messed' with me. You have simply messed with yourself.” 

“What-” 

“You have convinced yourself that somewhere along the path of your existence here on Earth that you are not entitled to being as happy as you could be.” 

“This is ridiculous, I'm not so sure you haven't been exposed to something in that lab of his that's shorted out-”

“Carter needs a complete family.” He spoke, straightening in his chair. “So does Kara and you're that missing piece to their lives whether you like it or not.” 

Astra swallowed her words, watching Lord across her screen, taking another deep breath to calm her racing heart. 

“And they're the missing piece to yours too.” 

Astra turned in profile to him again, her pacing resuming albeit slower than before. “I'm already dead to them. I made sure of that.”

“No, you broke your ties to the life Non imposed upon you by rising above it to your true station. You made Kara the rightful heir on this planet and, were it still around, Krypton as well. And you sacrificed nearly everything, including your life, albeit in the shadows, that you had started with Carter. You have a clean slate now Astra, like the firebird you are reborn by your own selflessness and I'm sorry but I refuse to sit by and watch all this while you entrench yourself further and further away from the people who need you.” 

Astra turned slowly to him, eyeing the screen for a long moment before looking back to her suddenly updated schedule. “You gave me an hour before telling me.” She watched him carefully, waiting for his reply. 

“You can not continue to run away from this. No matter how hard you convince yourself that you are doing the opposite.” 

“Did she at least confirm the appointment?”

“Her assistant Kara did, who also has no idea who or what exactly this operation is capable of or has been for years now.” 

Astra scuffed the toe of her boot against the floor, glaring up at him one last time before shaking her head. “If I cancel now she will take it out on Kara, and, more likely, never consider the option again should it be extended to her after today.” 

“You have close to forty five minutes, and you know she is quite punctual.” 

Astra turned from him, making her way back to the elevator shaft “Rao bless it.” She swore as she leapt upward and flew to the top floor, bypassing the elevator car itself before prying open the doors and stalking towards her office. 

With little effort she made herself a bit more presentable and less like some laboratory researcher lost to their work. With Carter's mild influence she had altered her wardrobe ever so slightly, at least if she was to converse with anyone face to face concerning a business matter. Of course, it was easier to throw on a suit jacket and pretend she had on a high necked shirt for a camera than it was to appear properly presentable for someone in person. 

Given her tasks prior she glanced down at herself, thankful she had been smart enough to put on a uniform devoid of her house emblem, the blue piping seeming to add enough of an accent so that when she selected one of the jackets out of the small closet she had in her office she could at least hope it would seem as if it had been matched intentionally. 

She checked the line of her jacket once over, smoothing the sides as she turned back to face herself and adjusted her hair. Until stopping herself outright. “You're preening.” She accused herself, smoothing away at her skin before straightening. She heard the ding of the elevator below and the steps that she knew ten miles away across the marble floors below. In an instant she felt her heart rate skyrocket and threaten to break her rib cage in the process. 

“Just breathe Astra, it's just business.” She let out a breath with puffed cheeks, moving back over to her desk as the cables engaged and lifted the other woman higher. She contemplated in her remaining moments whether she should sit or stand and at the last minute snatched a file folder from the side of her desk and moved away towards the window across the way. Clearly Lord had seen fit, or more Calex at the time, to give Cat rather direct instructions as Astra didn't even hear her hesitate as she stepped off the elevator and made her way down the hall towards her office. 

She held her breath unconsciously when she felt the other woman enter, draping her jacket over the nearest chair, followed by the heavy thud of her matching purse. “I hope you haven't already ordered for Le'Aedon and myself. I do find it rather presumptuous when assistants assume what a guest will have is similar to their bosses.” 

Astra swallowed hard, closing her eyes a moment before pulling herself together. “I would not know. Seeing as I am not an assistant by any definition.” That was a lie, in a way but why be technical now. She tossed the folder on the table and turned to look at Cat, finding her wide eyed and mouth practically agape.

Cat recovered quickly enough, or so she thought, taking in the figure who turned away from the light and came into proper view only to feel her heart stop in the process. Clearly her surprise showed and she cursed herself internally for the lapse before squaring her shoulders and adjusting her skirt. 

“What're you doing here?” 

Astra felt her chest cave. 'So she did remember.' Her mouth felt like dry parchment being crumpled into compact waste pellets. “Hello, Kitten.” She let her voice drop and saw the waver in Cat's stance, even as she brought her hands to her hips and shifted to one side. 

“No one calls me that.” She warned, though the threat was empty while her brain continued with 'not since you' to finish it out. 

The pair stared at one another for a long moment, neither moving as they took one another in, no doubt falling into some form of shared memory lapse from the last time they had been together, knowingly, in the same room. 

Astra lifted her head slightly, not bothering to hide the rake of her gaze across Cat's frame, the corner of her mouth ghosting upwards as Cat's breath caught just before her eyes flicked back up to Cat's own. “You look..” Astra let the list of descriptors reverberate through her mind, watching Cat grow more and more anxious as the time passed between them. “Better in person than you do on those inside covers of yours.” 

Cat blinked, looking taken aback before stepping closer, arms coming to cross under her chest. “What would you know about that?”

“Plenty, or so memory serves.” Astra fired right back, turning towards Cat even more as she snagged the file she slapped on the table, knowing Cat's curiosity would be too much not to look should Astra let her to her own devices. 

She neared, the other woman, feeling the both of them suddenly forget how to breathe before she side stepped Cat and rounded the corner of her desk and slipping the folder in with the others, leaving the desk between them as her lungs screamed at her for oxygen. 

“Did you actually have a point to this or was it purely self serving?” Cat kept her back to the other woman, fingers biting into her biceps as she watched her reflection like a phantom in the windows across the way. 

“What were you hungry for? Your assistant sent an interesting list.” 

Cat let out a breathless laugh, turning slightly to get a view of the woman behind the shield of her desk. “I'm still contemplating staying for more than five minutes.”

Astra glanced back up at the woman, then down to her desk before activating the holographic third dimension interactive display leaving National City to build itself across the entirety of the surface and up before reaching into the display and turning her fingers at the epicenter. The view shifted, traveling through the city in real time before centering on CatCo.

Cat watched in awe, tentatively stepping closer as she looked at the view of her building. Curiosity alone made her reach out, causing the view to shift. Drawing her hand back the view zoomed out until her fingertips came together and she turned her hand around before flinging her fingers out sending the display into a cascade of movement until it built another portion of the city without fail. 

“Steak, medium rare.”

Astra smirked at herself, moving away from Cat and her desk to a screen near the wall, relaying the rather specific notations Kara had sent her unknowingly dependent upon Cat's main course choice. Cat glanced over at Astra as she moved away, taking in the strength of her frame and the fact that she had barely changed in nearly thirteen years since they last met. She was caught a few moments later, bottom lip tucked between her teeth and eyes cast downward until Astra cleared her throat. Cat turned her attention back to the display across the other woman's desk as she approached.

“How much?”

Astra rose a brow, casually gathering Cat's things as if it were something she did every day. “Never said that was for sale.” She offered with her back to the other woman, feeling her frustration flare as she opened the small closet against the opposite wall.

“I see your penchant for teasing hasn't waned.” 

“And what would you know about that, Kitten.” She drug the nickname for the other woman out before turning to look where she had been, only to find Cat nearly right behind her. She swallowed and cursed herself and the adrenaline bouncing through her system, not to mention the knots of frustration playing across her spine with Cat's nearness. Astra tried not to take a deep breath, or at least she argued somewhere in her mind that she tried, and felt those knots tighten with the sensory overload filling her as a result.

“Plenty.” Cat took inventory of the contents of the small closet that Astra secured her jacket within, catching sight of something before Astra closed the door and turned to face her. Cat's nostrils flared minutely as she looked up to the other woman, waiting patiently. When no words passed between them she drew a step back, allowing air to pass between the two again. “Why am I here?”

“Because you agreed to meet with me months ago.”

“No I agreed to meet with investors.”

Astra glanced around and moved past the other woman, careful not to touch her, retrieving a set of proposals from her desk and dropping them off at the smaller conference table near Cat's side as she continued to the window. “Essentially you are, or at least with the person who holds the highest majority percentage of the companies and other elements I've listed there.”

Cat stepped closer to the table, fingertips spreading out each proposal as she committed the companies, organizations and causes to memory. “I'm not for sale.”

Astra hummed her amusement, grabbing a bottle of water from the side bar. “Never meant to imply you or any element of your enterprise were Cat.” She offered the other woman a bottle as well to which Cat nodded with her chin to the table where Astra left it.

“I find myself with a surplus, and an opportunity to free up some of that surplus and invest in other, hopefully, more lucrative endeavors.”

“You want me to buy them?”

Astra took a sip of her water turning back to the other woman. “Share is more of the word I was looking for. I'm willing to transfer the majority of my holding percentages in those companies to you, in part, still maintaining the secondary majority. And instead of monies and acquisitions being divided between us, I thought perhaps, you might be willing to negotiate allowing me to transfer those investments towards CatCo and its subsidiaries in trade.”

“This is a wide range of investments.” Cat mused, easily recognizing some while others slipped her awareness.

“I have had some time to acquire them.” Astra supplied pointedly before the door opened, the new Calex unit hovering in with their order before dispensing it on the table between them. Astra couldn't help the smile that pulled at her mouth as Cat was once again awestruck.

“Not on the list.” Astra provided, drawing a chair out and taking a seat before pulling her rather hefty meal portion over. “Perhaps that can be a personal investment we can negotiate at another time.” 

Cat blinked, then blinked again before turning back to Astra, she shifted her jaw, moving the proposals to the side before pulling a chair at the opposite head of the table and taking a seat. Her phone was against her ear a moment after while Astra pretended to be invested in her first bite rather than the voice of her niece on the other side. 

“Cancel my other appointments for the morning, and make sure legal is on standby.” She set the phone down a moment after and looked up across the table at the other woman enjoying her meal rather sinfully.

By the time the two of them were finished everything seemed to be ironed out, and the tension that had eased upon their first re-introduction to one another began to build up once more. It didn't help that Cat continued to make it a point to get into the fringes of Astra's personal spaces, like now. Astra stood at the end of the table Cat had maintained, applying her signature to the appropriate documents CatCo's legal members had managed to send over in short order. Their efficiency was impressive, then again one would have to be working for Cat. 

Cat reached around her, barely brushing her hip as she turned the document over, reading it over and fingering Astra's signature before closing the proposal agreement. Astra straightened but didn't move beyond that, feeling the weight of Cat's physicality impress itself upon her, imprinting itself into her sense memory all over again. She swallowed and closed her eyes, taking a slow breath inward before daring to look at the other woman beside her. 

Cat was studying her again, the line of her jaw and the column of her throat, zeroing in on her pulse point beating away and betraying her before she looked up and backed away a second after. “Rather productive morning.” Her voice betrayed her and she stepped away to gather her things from the closet.

Astra felt her hands flex into fists, straining against every fiber of her being to reach out and grab the other woman and show her this had absolutely nothing to do with business. Even if Calex had been the one to set it up. She already hated the thought of admitting he was right, and that Cat was as essential to her well-being as air to breathe. 

“Very.” Astra let out a breath and turned, feeling her chest seize in near panic as Cat lingered at the mouth of the closet.

“What is this?” Cat lifted up a small metal box from a shelf inside the closet Astra had left her to, a dangerous thing to leave a closet open for a reporter to investigate. Especially one that the Kryptonian was still very much in love with.

Astra had only made it a few steps closer before stopping again, seeing Cat's back stiffen as she lifted a picture out of the box, only to pull out a room key card and a book of matches from the bar from that night so achingly long ago. Astra could hear her heart beating faster and faster, and like a moth to flame, she neared the other woman from behind. 

“You,” Cat swallowed, “you kept these?” Her entire demeanor shifted then, caught completely off guard by the emotions she actually allowed to try and drown her. 

Astra reached around Cat's left side, gripping the box edge as Cat's fingers let the items slip out of her grasp. “Yes. Sorry.” She brushed past Cat and edged back into the closet. “I have lost many things that I cannot get back before now. I believe it is called becoming a pack rat.”

“It's okay,” Cat followed immediately behind, half convinced the other woman had something more, something else inside that little tin box. She hadn't realized how close they were, nor that she wasn't bothered by the other woman's physical presence so near to her own even after so long. 

When Astra turned Cat was right there, and she felt as if all her powers shorted out, if that were possible. Her hearing was overwhelmed with the cacophony of their beating hearts and the difficulty she seemed to have drawing a proper breath. The smaller woman's hands were hovering dangerously close to her shoulders and both of their bodies wavered closer as Astra rooted herself to the spot, looking down at Cat through veiled eyes.

“I said it's okay.” Cat whispered, pushing up onto her toes despite her high heels until trembling lips parted in a soft 'o' as the edge of her tongue caught the underside of Astra's top lip and pulled her down into a tentative kiss.

That tentativeness lasted only a second before Astra was kissing Cat back. Her arms were around her waist, pulling her entire body upward as Cat clung to the breadth of her shoulders like a life line. She felt the ground drift out from under her and the room spin until Astra practically tripped backward onto her desk. As a result Cat was forced back onto her feet with the woman's knees set on either side of her legs, panting for air, hands digging into the muscle of Astra's shoulders to keep herself somewhat upright. 

“Rao 'm sorry.” Astra apologized absently and Cat stiffened. 

“What did you just say?”

“I am sorry.” Astra tried again, seeing the look on Cat's face.

“You said Rao.” Cat stepped back and Astra immediately felt her body going through withdrawal. 

“Cat-”

“I've only ever heard one person say that before.” Cat straightened her skirt and backed up more as Astra pulled herself from her own desk to follow. 

“Cat wait-”

“No. You tell me, right now and I mean it, why would you say that? Like you've said it a thousand times before?”

“If you will just stop, let me ex-” There was a thump at her chest and she felt her body waver merely from the force of Cat's action. Looking down she saw the letter opener from her desk, while it had broken through the material of her suit, it had merely bent and gnarled against her skin. With a blink of realization Astra looked back up at Cat who stared at her fist and the other woman wide eyed. 

“You.. you're..”

“Kitten please.” She begged, grabbing the makeshift weapon and with it Cat's hand, pulling them both to the place near the center of her chest.

“I don't think, I'll be accepting your investment offers.” 

“To Cythonna with the investment.”

“Let me go.” Cat warned, turning her arm in Astra's grasp.

“If I do not want to?”

“Then you better pray to Rao this room is sound proofed.” 

They lingered like that for another intense series of moments until Astra relented and let Cat go. She gathered her things in a flourish stalked out of Astra's office instead of running like the Kryptonian knew she wanted to.

\-------

“Carter Grant, please come to the front office, Carter Grant to the front office.” 

Carter looked up from his place at his desk, looking at his fellow classmates who murmured quietly behind his back before he gathered his things and set them in his book bag. Even his teacher looked at him in an odd manner, something between sympathy and worry as she let him know he could have however long on his project even if it was due at the end of the week. 

With a careful shrug of his bag he made his way down the hall, only to have the Principle and Astra make their way out of the office to greet him. His face lit up initially until Astra shook her head one time at him and immediately he fell stoic in his expressions until he came to stand near the principle. 

“Ms. Le'Aedon.” He spoke genuinely concerned, noting Astra's demeanor, given the way he spoke her name it seemed to assure the principle even though he had never once seen her name on the pick up list. “What's wrong?” 

“Your mother sent me.” Astra spoke calmly, hoping Carter would get the hint. His mother would never send Astra, she didn't even know she existed outside of her memories. 

He looked worried suddenly and stepped closer to the woman. “What happened? Why isn't Kara here?” 

“Carter, I need you to stay calm.” The principle tried before Astra lowered herself to his eye level, stopping the man's words as she locked eyes with the boy. 

“You know I would only be here for one reason.” Astra allowed, letting her words sink into him before he felt his lungs threaten to seize the oxygen from them. 

“You're going to help her right?” His voice was quiet, meant for Astra only but it's tone nearly broke her heart. 

Astra nodded slowly and only one time before putting a hand to his shoulder, making the principle take a step back. No one ever touched Carter, that had been expressed thoroughly by his mother given his physical boundaries. Given that the boy seemed to allow it and move closer only threw the man for another loop. 

“We have to go now. I'm going to get you somewhere safe.” 

Carter nodded just before Astra straightened, her attention turning back to the principle. “I'm sure the protocols have been relayed to you concerning his retrieval from here at any point for security reasons.” 

The principle nodded, glancing between the pair before looking back at Astra directly before the woman gently guided Carter from the building and to a waiting car. 

Once inside Carter's bag was off and he was immediately wrapped around Astra in a firm hug, only to jump back from her a split second later before shoving her shoulder to no avail. “Where've you been!?” 

“Carter.” 

“No, you said if I used the communicator you'd come, that it was only for emergencies and you didn't come.” 

“I couldn't come Ze-rao.” 

“You said always.” 

“And I'm here now.” 

“Why? Are you here just because of the beacon or-?”

“Someone kidnapped your mother from work.” Astra supplied, her tone suddenly very dangerous, reminding Carter of some large predator before she blinked and seemed to calm down. 

“Why're you here then?! Why aren't you out saving-”

“Supergirl can handle it. Has to handle it.” She allowed, looking over at Carter. “Once we're away from here, I'm going to take you to Adam's. You'll be safer there.” 

“What? Why? I want to stay with you.” 

“Carter!” She closed her eyes, nearly putting her fist through the car door at herself before she let out a huff of an exhale. “Something else is coming, much worse than the two cretins who have your mother right now.” 

Carter frowned, watching her carefully, only just now seeing that she actually looked tired. She never looked tired, she was an alien super powered by the sun. “Why aren't you taking both of us then?”

“Because she wouldn't agree to it, she doesn't even know I've come and gotten you or that I've already called Adam so he can pretend to be the one behind it.” She looked over at him then, raising a brow at his questioning look. “What my son?” 

“You look tired.” He said honestly, feeling the car round a corner before disappearing beneath a tunnel. 

“I am. Carter I need you to understand something. Something very, very important.” 

He sat forward in his seat, wetting his lips as he waited anxiously before nodding to let her know he was ready. 

“I don't know how long you're going to be with Adam, there are certain things that may happen in the next little bit that might keep you from, from me for a while.” 

Carter frowned but didn't interrupt as she took another settling breath. 

“This thing, it's very bad and very powerful. If it cannot be stopped, other methods will have to be used to protect your mother and National City. If I know anything about our family, it's that they will stop at nothing to protect those they love, and by extension the people within their boundaries. Your mother is not dissimilar from that, and I know she won't leave. Not if there's something she can do to help.” 

Carter nodded, feeling each word fall on him like tiny weights. “You're not going to leave her here alone are you.” He stated more than questioned to which she shook her head at him. He swallowed hard with her answer, wondering if he had just casually mentioned Astra, even just by accident or something to his mother, if he couldn't have managed to get the two of them together somehow. 

“You make it sound like the world is ending.” He said. 

Astra took a deep breath inward, letting it out with a slow purpose as she cut her eyes to him. “It is possible. If that happens, your cousin will find you, help you, when the time comes.” 

“What do you mean, when the time comes?” He shook his head. “Stop being so ominous, you're going to come back, you're going to keep my mother safe and then you'll get me and we'll be a family.” The last of his words left him in a rush and he immediately put a hand to his mouth when her eyes widened. 

She waited a beat, then two before scooting closer to him, gently pulling at his hand to pry it from his features. “I would love for nothing more than that ze'rao. It is a dream I have held deep within my heart.” She swallowed thickly, pulling him to her until their foreheads were together, as if she could impart all of her knowledge and self into him in that moment. “I need you to keep that dream for me ze'rao. Can you do that?” 

Carter felt his throat closing up and his heart beating against his ribs, his hands went to hers on either side of his head after a moment and he pulled them both apart. Staring at her with glassy eyes. “Okay mom.” His features bobbed up and down in a disjointed fashion as he agreed to her words. She bit hard on her lips before she put a kiss to his forehead and hugged him to her. 

With a quiet sniffle she untangled them once more, ushering his bag back on his shoulders. “You're gong to need to hold on tight to this.” She refused to look at him, getting out of the car with him close behind. 

“Why?”

“Otherwise you're going to lose it.” She offered as he came close to her again, hugging her tightly before she pushed off from the ground and flew them both out of the tunnel and towards Opal City in a streak of black across the sky.

\-------

When they arrived outside Adam's apartment building, Carter was the first to the door, ringing the buzzer the way Adam told him to before Adam's responding buzz let Carter know he was there. They slipped inside the small lobby and made for the stairs, heading up the steep sets until they reached the top floor. Reaching into his shirt, Carter pulled out the key he had on a chain there and undid the lock. 

“Hey.” Adam greeted, half surprised to see Astra right behind his brother. “I thought I was going to get you from the airport.” Astra nodded over at Carter, who passed his brother in order to set his stuff down and out of the way. “You said you were flying but you never gave me the flight info.” He glanced to Carter then back to Astra beckoning her inside.

“Thank you.” She offered, closing the door behind her. “We did fly, just not in the way you think.” 

“Private jet?” Adam put his hands in his pockets as Carter made to stand near the kitchen area of his brothers apartment.

Astra shook her head. “No. Adam, I need you to tell me, do you have any cameras or anything that can video capture anything in this room?”

Adam looked confused shaking his head. “I took off early hadn't set anything up yet for working from home why?”

“There are things you need to know, that are just for you to know.” Astra stepped closer, though Adam stepped back a bit.

“You're starting to scare me a little there Astra, what're you getting at?”

“Your mother was kidnapped.” She held a hand up to stop his questions. “Supergirl will handle it, but like I told your brother. You may need to watch him for longer than a few days.”

“Maybe he should sit down.” Carter was beside his brother when the older man had backed up a few more steps, reaching out to him on his own and pulling his hand from his pocket in order to hold onto it.

Adam was nearly struck dumb by Carter's actions, squeezing his hand back firmly before seeming to square himself and shake off his confusion. “I'm good.” He looked back at Astra. “Tell me what's going on.”

“There are forces at work against humans, people like Supergirl, people like me. Except they want control and power and refuse to consider alternatives because they are either too set in their ways or, just too far gone at this point.” She continued forward, keeping his gaze as she neared both boys. “I have to help stop them, I know Supergirl is going to try, maybe even Superman, and your mother will be right there as well.” 

Adam furrowed his brow, feeling Adam's hand tighten around his but refused to take his eyes off Astra. 

“Wait, what do you mean 'people like you'?”

“Carter, lied for me, about his father and who, or what exactly that person is.”

Carter nudged his brother. “Look down.”

Adam looked at his brother confused then looked back to Astra, following his brothers instructions he saw Astra's feet where nowhere near the ground. Carter squeezed his hand harder when he felt his brother panic and back up even more in reaction. “The hell?”

“My real name is Astra In-Ze, I am a refugee from the planet Krypton, but the thing I am most proud of is being Carter's other parent.”

“You've got to be kidding me.” Adam held onto his brother as Astra continued to float there, arms wrapping around the younger boy as he came to stand in front of him, a sense of pride filling Carter's body as he watched Astra.

“If we can not find a better alternative to stop what I fear is coming to National City, it will be a long time before I, or any others from my world would be able to return. It is also possible that your government may deploy that alternative in other cities just to, 'be certain it doesn't happen again.'”

“They can't do that, not after what Superman and Supergirl have done.” 

Astra shook her head, smiling gently at Carter's protest. “They can.” She looked up at Adam. “And you know that they will out of fear.” 

“Y... you said if you couldn't find a better alternative, what happens, if there are no options at all.”

Carter hugged his brother's arm, feeling the tension fill the both of them as Astra looked at him then back up at Adam. “I will die trying to stop those behind all this. If it means keeping you, both, and your mother safe.”

“What if we can help, there might be a way, if we get-”

Astra shook her head halting Adam's attempts to find an immediate solution. She let her feet touch the ground again, Carter was first to reach out to her even as she reached out to Adam. She let her fingertips touch his cheek letting their gazes lock as if that were enough to convey all that she needed to. “I'm sorry I lied, you've had enough of that in your life. If I could go back, I would have fought just as hard as your mother and for you, and more.” 

Adam flexed his jaw, the sincerity and absolution of her words striking him like a sledgehammer in his chest. He felt Carter hug Astra and when she looked away he started to step back, only to have his younger brother grab onto him and yank him closer, hugging the three of them together with his smaller body.

“I have to go.” Astra's voice was hoarse and she cleared her throat a moment after, not looking at either of them as she pulled herself away. Adam was quick to grab Carter who tried to follow. “I love you Ze'roas.” She slipped out a window without looking back at them and flew off back to National City.


	11. Myriad

Astra landed on the roof of her building, looking out over the city as a heavy sense of unease rooting itself into every fiber of her being. Something was already off, something humming in the distance and not quite realized yet. It would be a restless night for the woman and she still had so much to finish. Astra turned and with the touch of a button dropped down into the shaft that opened up to her, altering her trajectory here and there she landed effortlessly in the bunker and walked into the heart of her command center. 

Already there was a notification on her main display to which she acknowledged as Lord appeared in his lab. “You've returned.”

“Yes, my boys are safe.” She said absently, moving to the read outs being fed to her from all over the city. “Did you deliver the package as I asked?”

“Of course, I still don't understand why you didn't just say it was from yourself as a gesture of your meeting today.”

“Because she would not have accepted it. I.” Astra sighed, unable to focus on the read outs as she looked to the screen. 

“What Lady Astra?”

“I kissed her.”

Lord looked impressed, until her expression shifted almost immediately from whimsical to distraught with a breath. “She did not reciprocate?”

“No, no. She reciprocated.” Astra shook her head and ungracefully dropped into her chair. “Then I swore to Rao.”

“You didn't.” He started to grin until her glare stopped him short. “You didn't.”

Astra nodded behind closed eyes and let out another sigh, letting her head rest against the high back of the chair. “I'm not sure if she realizes completely, but she knows, or thinks she knows... something.”

“I'm sorry Lady Astra. I had genuinely hoped the two of you would reconcile.”

Astra blinked her gaze up at him with that confession. “Are you sure we do not need to run a diagnostic concerning your integration with Lord's persona?”

He smiled and shook his head. “You have the latest report of my diagnostic, besides the fail safes you applied would have triggered if his consciousness were overriding my AI.” She nodded slightly to that, setting her chin in her hand, fingertips brushing over her lips in thought. “She did accept the package, if you were worried.”

“My worry comes if she does not put them on.” She looked back up at him a moment then over to her console, shifting the view to take in the city and its read outs for each area, and then further out. 

“It's happened hasn't it.” She spoke with a somber tone, spanning further and further out until the signal she had been fearful of ever since Kara spoke of it turned the read outs bright orange in the midst of the more calmer blue tones surrounding her. 

“While you were away. It will reach the heart of the city by the morning, unless his partner accelerates it. Which is not beyond her.”

Astra let out a silent prayer, begging Rao to allow Cat the foresight to already have her gift on.

“No reaction then?”

Astra hm'd at him looking away from the Myriad signal with a distracted expression. 

“Non and that, construct.” He tried gently, watching the woman carefully for her reaction.

“We we paired for convenience and a means for the council to attempt some semblance of order. I knew he had drifted when he became overly invested in my research involving Krypton and its probability of destruction.”

“Do you think she had a hand in it?”

Astra cut her eyes to him and shifted her jaw visibly enough for him to sit back a bit. 

“I apologize, I had always wondered why he became such a radical and how quickly things seemed to cascade into failure so quickly.”

Astra felt her whole body ache with the possibility, she had wondered that herself, but had been unable to prove any of it. Genocidal tendencies were one thing, destruction as a means of retaliation for not getting what she wanted like a petulant child was another. Given their current predicament, she wondered if that was the Coluan's plan no matter where she ended up. It was too late for Krypton but perhaps not for Earth. 

“Were you able to find Kal-El?”

“He is off-world. Which may be a good thing. I'm not so sure he won't be unaffected by the Myriad signal, a few days on Krypton does not a Kryptonian make.”

Astra sighed, watching the signal expand again. “We should have destroyed that whole thing instead of dismantling what we could. ” She looked back up to him.

“And that wouldn't have alerted the humans to just how much destruction you could wrought would have been better?”

“Not the point.”

“You didn't know he was going to go back to it Astra. In the entire time after you and Kal-El worked to find the octahedron as well as dismantle anything the humans could try to use after Zod.”

“Still should have destroyed it, thrown it into space, melted it down for spare parts.”

Lord sighed watching her. “You can not beat yourself up because you didn't realize he was still alive, or that she was helping him.” 

Astra let that simmer a moment or two, it wasn't unlike what she herself had been doing in the hopes of giving Kara an extra edge, and Non a singular focus. She knew from being a General, and his general at that, his greatest weakness was lack of tactical division. He refused to see his battles from an outside perspective, so long as he had a singular focus. Once that happened, his hubris blinded him to anything in his periphery. Ridding herself from his equation, left Kal-El and Kara. If what Lord suspected were true of her nephew and the possibility of Myriad taking him over, it would push Non into that hyper-focused state. She prayed again that Rao was in her niece's favor.

“If you are worried about Kal-El, what of Kara? She grew up on Earth not unlike him.”

“Yes, but her brain was already developed, not to mention the time she spent in the phantom zone and how she fine tuned that mind, whether she realizes it or not. The mastering of her hormones on this planet no doubt proved more difficult.”

Astra actually laughed, shaking her head slightly. “So I will be fine then?”

“Of course, rites of survivor ship not withstanding, you are the oldest female, quite developed aside from some social aspects but those have never been your forte.”

“Easy there Lord.” She mused despite the very real possibility that she and her “super” family could be dead within the next few hours.

He sat back then, revealing the other project she had left with him. Her eyes drifted to it and after a moment he glanced behind himself before he looked back at the woman. “Will it work?”

He sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. “Once it's completed yes. 

“You were supposed to finish it.”

“Yes well, maintaining all of this, slowly changing this man's image, ensure that all his holdings and shares are silently transferred to you and working on trying to convince your niece to deploy it if there's no other option. Certainly let me fit that in like a shower.”

Astra remained unamused as she glared at him.

“Look, she will not believe I had all this immediately at the ready. He might be a genius but even that would make people question just how much of a hand he could have in it. That I know is something you don't want.”

Astra drew in a deep breath, turning her eyes from him as the signal expanded again. She filtered her fingers through her hair, pulling it back and away from her face and shoulders. “True. It is going to be difficult enough as it is to get any of them to take you seriously without that thing.”

“I have made some traction on that front, they are still suspicious but a little more apt to accept what I have to offer as an option and not a foil.”

“I suppose that is progress all things considered.”

“You realize if she does accept this as the only option, you won't be able to come back.”

“I know. And I know that if it works you'll be making more to deploy to the rest of this country and others.”

“You didn't inform Kal-El of this did you?”

Astra shook her head. “He would have made sure to destroy it, or your labs or something equally as rash. I have kept him busy with other endeavors. Which if we make it out of this will be a benefit to all of us.” 

Lord turned from the screen, his expression shifting from confused to concerned. “It has reached the D.E.O.” 

Astra closed her eyes, feeling a weight settle on her that she had only felt once before, moments before the destruction of her home world. “It's beginning.”

“Kara could be killed Astra, there are extremely dangerous-”

“I know what is there, I was locked up right along with them.” She answered sharply as she pushed out of her chair and watched the alarms go off one after another concerning the D.E.O.'s prison cells. “The Brave one is gone, as is the Martian, he will protect her like any father would. Which gives Kara some hope beyond the rest of us.” She turned back to him. “I have faith in her. She is capable. She will have to be if Non engages her directly.”

“You are playing a very dangerous game Astra.”

“I am showing her the truth. She has to know, has to understand she is the strongest. She has a greater power than even you thought any of us were capable. Than Kal-El, than any of those cretins locked up in the D.E.O., especially more than Non.”

“You're not going to try and save her are you.”

Astra cut her eyes to the screen in the midst of turning away from him and looking back to the signal as it expanded again. “I did that before, and failed horribly. I played just as much a part of marooning her here as any other member of her family.”

“Are you afraid?”

“Very.”

“For Cat.” He stated, leaving 'not Kara' left unspoken between them. Astra spun looking at him pointedly even as he leaned forward when she didn't respond any further. “I will push Kara, as much as I can, but if she decides on that bomb-”

“Then it is her choice for her world. I am a simple cog in the middle of it, trying to give her a little extra help where I am able. I had my chance with my world as did Alura and Jor-El, and we all failed. We left our legacy nothing but destruction, we have made them pay for our sins enough. I cannot in good consciousness make these choices and in essence take them away from her. I had my shot, I have to live with that failure and hope and trust in her to do better because of the tragedies that have shaped her outside of the influence of her blood.”

“Don't ever run for office Lady Astra.”

Astra let out a pained laugh, watching the signal expand further, knowing the Coluan was behind its advancing so rapidly.

“You have been a faithful servant as ever Calex.” She allowed looking back to the monitor. 

“We are not going to do this Lady Astra. Not yet.” 

Astra nodded once, pulling in another breath trying to calm her ever growing unease. “Get to work then.”

\-------

“Thank you Cat.” Kara moved to the other woman unbidden, wrapping her up in a hug, feeling her stiffen for only a second until something in the woman's stance changed. Kara felt Cat almost seem to grapple onto her, her fist twisting into the back of her suit after it thumped against her, the other clinging to her cape as she pulled her closer. Kara felt overwhelmed for a brief instant and was the first to separate the pair of them, having to bend down slightly so as not to pull Cat along with her in the process.

“Are you-” The older woman was reluctant to release her and Kara could easily see the drastic shift in her aura.

“Kara,” Cat continued to hold onto Kara's biceps, looking at her on the border of awe and fear. “Who is Rao?”

The woman looked confused by the question, wondering if she'd let the name slip but could only recall praying to him in her head when she first hugged Cat. “It, was the name of Krypton's sun. He is the personification of light and life.”

“He's your god.” Cat swallowed, searching Kara's features for something, anything to prove her mind wrong. 

“Yes, sortof.” Kara shook her head confused, stepping closer when she saw Cat waver slightly. “Cat what is it?”

“The woman, the one before, in black. Oh god.” Cat felt Kara guide her to the lounger until she sat in a heap. Kara was quick to kneel in front of her, almost frantic and unsure of what to do with the other woman's behavior.

“Cat, Cat!” She shook the woman back to herself.

“You have her features, yours are lighter, but they're hers.” Cat touched Kara's cheekbones, slid to the edge of her jaw before she curled her fingers back into her palm as if burned. 

Kara reached for her, holding Cat's wrist and locking eyes with her. “Who are you talking about?”

Cat swallowed, keeping her hand in a fist as Kara held her in place searching her features with a renewed sense of urgency she didn't know Kara could possess given everything else going on around them right now. “Astra.” She saw Kara's eyes widen, knew the other woman knew her, intimately, she almost didn't tear her eyes away until her wrist began to burn where Kara was starting to squeeze.

“How do you know that name?” Kara whispered, following Cat's gaze and easing her hold but not letting go. 

Cat swallowed visibly feeling her heart pound in her ears with what manner of truth was about to be revealed to her. “I've met her, I love-loved her, once.” With that revelation Kara looked so immensely sad it actually frightened Cat.

“I'm sorry.” Kara drew a staggered breath. “She, uhm, she was my mother's twin.” Kara cleared her throat, pushing the last images of her Aunt, holding her face in her hands on that cold unforgiving ground back with all the other memories of everything and one she'd lost at this point. 

“Your Aunt.” Cat pressed, watching Kara nod and felt the oxygen slip out of her lungs completely. 

“She, like Non and any other alien that's shown up recently have been here as long as I have.”

“That doesn't answer why now, why come after you if they've been here the whole time.”

“My mother was a Justicar, those aliens, were sent to a prison by her.”

“And Astra? Was she a Justicar?”

“She was a General.” Kara smiled faintly seeing Cat appear almost proud of that idea.

“So she was overseeing the prison.”

Kara shook her head. “My mother sentenced her there.”

Cat felt light headed, until Kara brought the woman's hand back to the side of her own face. Clearly she had said the woman's name a few times before her sense of hearing returned to her. “But she was wrong. It was part of those choices she made for Krypton that I mentioned. It is the shadow I live in, I don't want to repeat those choices.”

Kara searched Cat's face, willing her to understand just a little more of where she was coming from, while trying to wrap what exactly Cat had revealed to her meant now. It took another series of moments between them before Cat's other hand mirrored its twin along Kara's cheek. The media mogul searched her features with a new sense of connection and something else, something Kara couldn't place. 

“I can't let Max set off that bomb. It's, it's easy, and we haven't exhausted any other options yet.” 

Cat gave Kara a tight smile, keeping her emotions in check for the moment. “I think your mother, and your Aunt, would be very proud of you.” 

Kara smiled right back, leaning forward again and wrapping Cat up in another hug with a much more familial intention. She felt some of the tension leave her body when Cat hugged her back just as tightly. “Thank you.”

“For what?” Kara spoke into Cat's shoulder.

“Not lying to me about her.” Cat supplied before separating them, she brushed Kara's hair out of her face then in a somewhat motherly gesture. “Let's go get Lord.”

\-------

Alex stepped closer to the glass, watching Kara as she spoke of hope and tried to rouse the city from Myriad's control. Unseen behind her Max activated his own signal across his phone, hoping the ones he intended it for were able to retrieve it.

Eliza stood beside Cat, watching her foster daughter with enough pride to fill her to the brim with the younger woman's message. She caught additional movement and turned her focus from Kara to Hank, seeing a similar expression ricocheting between the pair of them. She nodded to him in kind and he offered her the edge of a smile like the proud surrogate parents they both were. 

Cat swallowed hard, watching Kara through glassy eyes as her mind dove right back to where she had been not but a few hours earlier it seemed. She felt her breath catch as her heart seized in its ache for the woman who may've had some larger hand in all of this, or perhaps had succumbed like Superman had, where Cat had left her earlier. 

From her bunker of shadows under the grounds of National City itself, Astra watched her niece with insurmountable love and pride. Her words continued to ring strong even as the consoles began to flicker and beep all around her. She turned to them, watching the Myriad signal shift and attune itself to Kara's frequency, altering its output from red to blue. Astra watched the cascade fall all the way back to the source in the middle of the Nevada desert where she had last left that hell of a prison and sent the coordinates in their exactness to Lord, knowing he would follow the time table. No sooner had she done so, an alert went off at the main console, and with it she felt even more pressure mount itself onto her shoulders. She watched the call get routed through her system before coming to her comm signal directly. 

“Le'Aedon.” She spoke firmly, as if she were greatly put out by the interruption. 

“This is the President of the United States. I received the message you had your silent partner supply me.”

“Pleasure to talk to you, Madame President, though I wish it were under better circumstances. What can I do for you?”

“I believe it is now what can I do, for you.”

\-------

Far away from National City, any and all news outlets honed in on what they could manage to get while they still continued to report on the government's unknown quarantine of the city itself from the rest of the world.

Adam glanced down to his phone, frowning at the message before pulling his laptop up and keying in the instructions sent to him. A half second later and he could see Supergirl, speaking of hope. “Carter!”

His younger brother came running from the kitchen, leaping over the couch effortlessly before bounding down next to Adam only to see Kara on the screen. “She's okay!”

“Hope. That you will see again the faces of those you love and perhaps even those you've lost.”

The brothers looked at one another with that last note, then back to the screen just before it displayed the symbol Kara wore across her chest and the TV behind them continued to show the military blackout of National City's borders.

“This is it isn't it?” Carter asked seeing both images and trying to focus on the one that indeed gave him hope. 

Adam swallowed hard before grabbing his phone and dialing his mother as Carter moved closer to him in order to listen in. He waited with baited breath for it to actually connect, already having convinced himself that it wouldn't until he heard a few faint clicks followed by the sound of ringing and put his phone on speaker. 

“Adam?”

“Mom!” Both boys shouted in unison. 

Back in the studio Alex burst into the broadcaster booth, clearly on the verge of tears as she heard everyone's phone start ringing behind her. “It's working, it worked. You did it Kara. Everyone they're-”

Alex was nearly felled were it not for Kara's strong arms wrapped around her, keeping her upright. Her voice however had been cut off by Kara's soft lips pressing into her own that broke away with no more than a breath between them a beat later. Kara was speaking soft words against her mouth that Alex didn't hear until she heard something jumbled between a sorry, worry and love and grabbed hold of Kara's shoulders pulling her in again.

Kara’s arms tightened around her impossibly more as Alex slid her hands into Kara’s hair and used it as an anchor to deepen her kiss. She didn’t stop until she felt Kara literally stop breathing then broke them apart, waiting for Kara to open her eyes again and focus on her. 

“You’re really good at that.” The words fell from her in a breathless exhale and Alex couldn’t help the gentle laugh that shook them both. 

“I thought...” Max started, looking confused before Hank piped up. 

“They've been dancing around each other for a while now.” 

“You could have warned me.” Eliza was right beside him, watching her daughter and Supergirl get caught up in one another. 

“Or told me to have that camera ready.” Cat pipped in, causing everyone to turn and look at her. “What, I'm a journalist.” She gestured to the pair on the other side of the glass. “That's news, heartbreaking for some I'm sure but overall joyous, hopeful, good news. It warms people's hearts and gives them a sense of resolution.”

“Except we're not out of the woods yet.” Max allowed, glancing to the pair then back to the actual adults on his side of the glass. “We need to reevaluate ourselves and ensure this thing has been shut down.” 

Hank nodded, looking to Cat and Eliza. “I won't ask you to-”

“Couldn't keep me away even with a team of wild aliens so don't even try.” Eliza added with a small smile before glancing at Cat. 

“As much as I am of want to be in the middle of this wonderful little government operation, I have a city to inform and calls to field on all of our behalves.” She glanced over at Hank specifically then. “I do expect at least full disclosure and perhaps exclusive interview rights in the future, Mulder.” Cat was the first to leave, or at least made the intention to do so, but not before stepping into the broadcast booth. 

“Ladies.” The pair jumped, suddenly aware they had an audience, and one Cat Grant was the least of their worries as far as the rest were concerned. “I expect an exclusive.” She glanced to Alex as if sizing her up, making a small note of a sound that Kara recognized all too well but kept silent. “Don't think I can't find you either. I know your boss -and- your mother, Scully.” Just like that she was gone, leaving the others to do what it was they did best. 

It wasn't until Cat got home, safe and alone in her penthouse that she even allowed herself to break down. She was grateful her sons were miles away and more than safe, she was thankful she had never fallen under Myriad's control. Not after watching Alex with the help of Hank and Eliza come to grips with her actions and finally get calm. There was another part of her that hated that she had not gone with the government types and the heroes, but she needed to show the city, even if she wasn't thoroughly convinced of it herself, that things were alright or at least headed that way. That their hero, Supergirl, had saved the day yet again, even where Superman could not. 

Her head hurt, her body ached, her emotions were a wreck and she swore there wasn't enough alcohol or ambien in the world to shut her mind up enough to allow her to sleep tonight. Cat never saw the shadow on her balcony, or the pained expression adding to the weight of the Kryptonian that watched her but never made herself known.


	12. Better Angels

“Do you understand what’s going to happen if you don’t get down here?” Max growled into his earpiece, careful not to get too loud given his location. He was supposed to be attempting a method to try and reroute the signal now that the DEO had let Hank go with Kara. Instead he was talking to Astra, arguing the finer points of why she needed to not play dead in this given moment.

“Kara and Henshaw will handle it.” 

“Less than ten minutes Astra, then it’s over. They need you now.” 

Astra drew in a deep breath, watching the signal go up again. “No one needs me Lord. They have everyone and everything now.”

“Stop being such a coward Astra, I know the General in you may've died in that pod but something better came back.” She disconnected the call and with a growl Lord shut off the phone heading back to the others, attempting to mimic their pain and disorientation with the signal’s strength only amplifying. 

Astra watched the feed as the signal went from seventy five percent to eighty only to catch something in the back of her mind. A faint noise, distinct and yet foreign to her. Until it resounded again. She turned, looking to her screens, seeing the percentage rise even more before looking heavenward when Cat’s voice cried out for her that much louder within her mind. 

“Cat.” 

Astra was off the ground and out of her building in a manner of seconds, the city nothing but a blur beneath her as she pounded through the air landing on Cat's balcony in a blaze of blue. She could hear the screams of pain and panic echoing throughout the city, like a great angelus bell heralding the end. Her only focus was beyond the glass doors, curled against her couch with a hand to her head and her features contorted in pain. With that vision the rest of the world went silent. 

She hadn't even realized that she had literally walked through the glass until it pulled Cat's attention and made the woman rise from her couch in a slight panic with a wince to the quick action. Astra was in front of her in a blink, not touching her but the sudden proximity made Cat startle, coupled with her disorientation thanks to Myriad she twisted her hands around the fabric of Astra's uniform. Her eyes were closed and she was trying desperately to regain her balance. 

Cat felt fingers brush through her hair, and a gentle hum settle over her mind pushing through the Myriad signal until it was reduced to faint whisper just on the periphery of her awareness. She let out a small sigh of relief, though the pressure of the signal was still there, threatening to come back. 

“Kitten?” A voice once so strong as to command legions without question now merely trembled with muted husks of sound strangled in her throat as green eyes became liquefied pools with her efforts.

“No one calls me that, save” Cat allowed verbally, opening her eyes to the sight of the other woman looking as if she herself were going to pass out from her efforts any minute. She felt her heart lurch at how pale the other woman was. How red rimmed her eyes were becoming while her entire body was engaged in whatever she was bestowing upon Cat herself and surrounding the both of them with in a brilliant halo of blue light. “My god, Astra.”

“It won't be long now. Kara will stop this.” Astra ground out between breaths, seeing Cat's slow rise in panic at their situation. 

“What about you!?” Cat swore, she was unsure what to do or where else to put her hands or even if she should move at all. So the pair remained somewhat intimately entwined until Astra began to falter.

“I am fine.” Astra tried, feeling her legs begin to buckle as her exertions quickly sapped her energy, she could only keep the bioluminescent shield up at this level for so long until it burned itself or her out completely. 

Cat stepped closer, wrapping her arms under Astra's own as a means to try and keep her upright when she felt her start to weaken. “To Rao with fine!” Astra blinked up at Cat, searching her eyes until the pair of them dropped down on their knees as the Myriad signal rose and the Kryptonian's energy fell.

“Stop, please.” Cat begged, and she never begged. Her hands came up to Astra's face even as the other woman's body grew impossibly more tense. “You can't help her if you waste all your energy on me.”

“Carter and Adam need their mother.” Astra said, careful not to hurt Cat as she flexed her fingers into the other woman's hair when her light began to fade despite her struggles to the contrary. 

“Kara needs one in you.” Cat groaned faintly, feeling the Myriad signal breaking through again with its threat to shatter her skull. “Maybe I need you too.” She rasped before surging forward pulling Astra's features down to her. Cat bit at Astra's mouth when the pain returned, nails skittering across Astra's scalp as she wrapped her up in as much of herself as she could. Knowing that what she was doing could kill her but it was definitely a better way to go than alone and curled on the floor holding her head. 

Cat's sudden dead weight threw them both off. As the ground rushed up to meet her back, Astra pitched forward and caught herself with one hand, the other looping around Cat's waist to keep her from impact. Astra kissed her back fiercely, choking on her own sob, trying to maintain her shield until Cat broke away from her with a small cry. Astra eased her to the ground, tears staining her face, unable to keep the signal at bay any longer.

“I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Cat. Stay with me please. I don't know how to raise our children without you.” 

Cat took a deep breath, eyes shut tightly and prayed she wouldn't feel anything when it happened. She waited another second, then another and instead of darkness swallowing her she felt the pain begin to ease. She opened her eyes cautiously, surrounded in a curtain of Astra's hair, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly as she saw the white streak a midst it all. 

“She did it.” 

Astra let a pained laugh escape her, balanced over Cat on her knees and one hand, she turned her features into the touch of Cat's hands as they reached up to hold her face and urge her hair back, raining kissing across soft skin where she could as she bent to the other woman. She set their foreheads together, eyes closed, noses brushing, just relishing in the moment until a different kind of pain bit through her body and forced Astra back with a gasp. 

“Kara. It is too much.”

Cat was right there with her, half sitting up and in the middle of asking what was wrong when she saw it out of the corner of her eye. Footage from cameras, including those belonging to CatCo, on the wall behind her desk. Focused on an impossibly large structure erupting from out of nowhere. It wasn't until her camera man zoomed in that she realized that Kara was the reason behind its current trajectory. 

“Supergirl.”

Astra twisted, following Cat's gaze as she sat them back up and helped Cat stand, guiding her through the broken glass of her balcony doors with ease as Astra scanned the horizon until she saw what the camera's were showing with her own eyes. “If she goes above the atmosphere-”

“Astra!” Even Cat turned at the voice that resounded in her ear making the Kryptonian wince. 

“Brave One.”

“Tell me how to use this damn thing.” 

“Wh-”

“Kara's pod! She's going to sacrifice herself. I can't let her do that.” 

Astra looked back at Cat who only stepped closer. Cat knew she was asking a lot but she couldn't sit up in her own tower any longer. “I can't watch from here. I can't be cut off-”

“Astra answer me!” Alex made her wince again even as she looked at Cat who pleaded with her silently. Astra swallowed hard, her voice hard to solidify into a single tone as she spoke. “Stand on my boots.” 

Cat felt her chest cave with the request and without hesitation did so, hands grappling Astra's uniform as she turned her features into the taller woman's shoulder. “Fly as fast as you can.” She whispered before her stomach dropped out when Astra leapt them off the balcony. 

“Brave one, get the pod into a launch bay and I will pilot it to-”

“I've already started it up and it's counting down. I only know that because Kara used to count to ten in her language when she would get overwhelmed and I recognize some of the numbers, maybe.” 

“Get out of the pod Alex. I will not be responsible for your mother being childless. Your human form may not be capable of withstanding the launch, or even the force of the pod if you pilot it incorrectly. You can not even read Kryptonese.” 

“Astra! It's too late for all this. I can't let Kara do this, she's convinced herself that dying is for the greater good. Sound familiar?!” The sounds of the pods final sequence reached Astra through the comm. “She told me to have a good life, a better life in honor of her. I can't just sit here and watch her die. I love her too much and I refuse to live in a world without her.” 

“My Brave One please-”

“Aunt Astra.” Alex pleaded, locking herself into the seat or so she hoped. “You made your choice with Cat, let me make mine with Kara.”

Astra tightened her hold on Cat, tucking the woman's head under her chin for protection as she increased their speed towards the D.E.O. “The main controls are a quad-axis formation and inverted. The throttle will be near your left knee, do not go beyond the first quarter markings. Anything past that point is for hyper-speed, deep space travel. The buttons on your right, for simplicity's sake, they are one through eight. Seven, four, one, three. This will activate the on board atmosphere akin to Earth so you can breathe.” 

“Hold on.” Alex switched channels. “Director Lane, friendly incoming hot with cargo, open the doors.” Alex commanded, giving Astra a clear path. 

“Danvers? What the hell are you doing?” Lucy suddenly realized too late what Alex had gotten herself into while she had been trying to check on her Agents once the Myriad signal had begun to weaken. Between her and Hank and now whatever she had been alerted to coming their way, it was a wonder if any human could actually maintain this position for more than a week, along with their sanity; or if it really did take an alien .

“Keep your dad and his men away from her.”

“What do you mean keep them away?”

“Ask Vasquez if you really want to know. But if you trust Kara, then you can trust Astra. She's her Aunt and she's got Cat Grant with her.”

“You have got to be kidding me Alex!” She rushed over to Vasquez as the others seemed to suddenly tune into the missile headed their way. “Emergency override, friendly incoming. I want chatter limited, our friend here is bringing in, a, well, she's bringing trouble. Vasquez get me the reason why I've been told to keep the General away from this one, right now.” 

Alex broke through Lucy's commands. “I mean it Director, she's going to walk me through flying this thing so I can get Supergirl. She's the only one who can. I need you to trust me.” 

“My god why don't you people come with warning labels.” Lucy began to relay more orders as Alex switched back.

“I've got you cleared, no one is going to touch you. Give me a crash course on this thing, secure Cat at the D.E.O and then bring her boys to her. Kara's going to want to see her cousins when she wakes up.”

“So sure of that Brave One?”

“I know they'll at least want to see their mother.” Alex left her words to generality and the pods engines fired up. “I recognize the number ten!” 

Astra saw the tunnel, adjusting her trajectory to fit her and Cat through it before landing in the reserve area of the DEO. She was met immediately by two agents and couldn't help but smile as she recognized them from her last time here. “I need to get to Alex.”

“Understood ma'am, we'll make sure you get there and anywhere else without interference. Agent Simmons is already on stand-by near Danvers' last location. ” 

Astra started to move only to nearly trip over Cat who refused to let go of her. The two agents were by their side immediately, helping Cat extract herself from Astra. “Breathe, just breathe, I'll be right back. I promise.” 

“Go. Go. I, just, so fast, lightheaded.” Cat finally seemed to come into herself and pushed at Astra to move while the two agents kept a firm and steady hold of her. Astra looked at Tarek and Leigh then, conveying every unspoken thing she could should something happen to Cat while under their care. “I'll be back for her.” 

“Yes ma'am.” Tarek responded as Leigh continued to check over Cat for injury. 

“Astra! Seven seconds!” Alex yelled in her ear before the Kryptonian ran through the DEO as fast as she could, practically slamming into the pod as she pressed against the dome with Alex inside a half second later. 

“Lean all the way back and at the last second take a deep breath Brave One, as if you were going under water. You're going to have to use the pod itself like a battering ram to get Kara back here since you cannot get out.”

“What if her powers are shot, that could kill her.” 

“I will catch her Alex, and you if I have to.” 

“Four seconds. I guess going over the landing procedure isn't as simple as activating the oxygen huh?” 

“This pod is my steel not yours, she will not break up, but she will hurt you. Keep things as level as you can when you reenter the atmosphere then cut thrust and just let it fall. Remember a crash landing is still a landing, just don't point the nose down to do it.” 

“Reassuring Aunt Astra.” Alex chided as she pushed herself all the way back into the seat.

“What in the hell is she doing here?!” General Lane's voice resounded from across the heart of the DEO. “Detain her.” His men were by his side as he began to storm over, only to have one of them disarmed by Max, and the others by DEO agents who sprung into action. General Lane himself came up short right quick when Agent Simmons's handgun was leveled at his forehead. 

“You've done enough to her sir. She's here to help, just like last time.” Behind Agent Simmons Astra continued to relay the control layout to Alex before backing up a step knowing the launch would do little to her even in such close proximity. 

“Deep breath my Brave One!” And with that last shout the pod launched itself at breakneck speed from the facility.

\-------

“Agent Simmons stand down.” Lucy was just behind her father, looking to the agent in question. Unbeknownst to him Astra was coming up behind him. Her gaze set on the screens beyond all of them, watching Alex's pod as it made its way higher and higher until she looked back to the group.

“I'm not going to let him torture her again ma'am.” 

Astra reached out with a steady hand, setting it on Simmons' forearm in view enough for him to see her so he didn't startle and shoot the General by mistake. “It is alright soldier.” She allowed, cutting her eyes to the General as he shifted his jaw. 

“No one is going to torture anyone. Especially not when they're Supergirl's family.” Even the General seemed taken aback by that as Lucy came up to his side while Simmons' lowered his weapon. “Or did you forget that an alien just saved all of us knowing she was going to die doing it.”

“Director Lane, I need an emergency transport for Ms. Grant's children to be brought here as a matter of safety, and then I have to go.” Astra pressed as Simmons finally re-holstered his weapon. 

“You are a terrorist, working with-”

“Shut up dad!” Lucy whirled on him, while others nearby tried not to stare. “Their -entire- family is or has put themselves at risk for us, for humans and all our awfulness, without so much as a single demand or ultimatum and you can't even manage a simple thank you.” She stepped right up into his space, despite their height differences. “I left a great job, a great man and apparently my set of morals and almost locked them all up and shipped them out when I got here. Because of the fear you put in me since we were kids about Superman and any thing different than us. We'd all be dead now or worse if it wasn't for them. So shut up, and get out of my way so I can do my damned job. Sir.” 

General Lane swallowed hard, watching, albeit prideful, and sad at the same instant as his daughter took her stand. He glanced to Astra one more time before looking to Lucy and stepping back a half step to relinquish whatever authority he didn't have back to her. 

“Director.” Astra spoke again, pulling her attention and some of the residual ire still brewing because of her father. “May I-”

“Yes” Lucy cut her off, “the transport, I will get on it asap.”

“No need.” Max interjected himself, tossing the assault rifle back to its original owner now that some of the crazy had settled down. “They're already on a private plane, seems my new stealth technology works quite well. Which, by the way will either need a transfer point or a redirect from National City to here unless you want the pilots to be fully aware of this location.”

Astra smiled at Max, who winked at her before lifting his chin and putting on airs once more. 

“Simmons!”

“Ma'am?”

“Grab Teams Bravo and Echo, civilian model transport. Vasquez, inform the pilot of whatever flight Mr. Lord here has seen fit to charter of new landing coordinates, executive air field about ten miles west of here full throttle. Bravo and Echo will meet them there and transport cargo back to base.”

A collective round of yes ma'am went up between all agents mentioned as they scattered. In the moments after, the facility seemed to fall back into its usual rhythm, despite the tension still swimming beneath the surface concerning the Lane's and Astra. That was until a few moments ticked by and Cat's voice pulled everyone's attention from where she had ended up near the civilian media array feeds nearby. 

“Oh god, she's falling.” Immediately the main display shifted from the signal output of Myriad, as well as other chatter concerning its disruption to a multi-angle display of their own cameras and drone feeds showing a limp Supergirl turned meteor, falling her way back to Earth. 

“What the hell is she doing here!?” 

Cat was too far gone to be concerned about the General's second outburst in less than ten minutes, watching Kara fall with no sign of Alex or the pod. Eliza was beside her then, having come from one of the labs Alex had redirected her to all too late to stop her daughter from her own dangerous plan. Watching with her arms wrapped tightly around her body at the sight of Kara. “Alex where are you...?” She murmured, studying the screens for any sign of her daughter. 

“Astra brought-”

“Not her, -her-.” Astra seemingly forgotten for now, General Lane turned his daughter in the direction of the brunette stalking through the glass hallways with a full secret service detail.

“Supergirl's trajectory is off, no reactionary response. I think Danvers was attempting a landing over the water but without additional input she's headed towards the city.” Vasquez stated, showing the current projection of Supergirl's would be impact. 

“Madam President.”

“Oh stop your saluting and give me a sit rep. -Now.-”

Astra was beside Lucy then, giving merely a small nod to the newly arrived woman before quietly addressing the Director. “I have to go.” 

Lucy gave her a pointed look, her words taken from her as the President stepped closer, eyeing Astra then glancing to the General and finally the Director. “Let her go, then get me everything on what's going on thereafter.” 

Lucy nodded, looking over to Astra who smiled in an odd fashion to the Director before making her way to Cat and Eliza. She was hugged by the latter of the pair and after rounding a corner, sped off unseen by the others. Once the president was briefed, in near exactness to the word's definition all attention in the room was turned to Supergirl's decent. 

“I've got the pod on radar!” Someone shouted as Alex blipped on the screen but no visual confirmation could be gained from their drones as of yet. 

“Teams Echo and Bravo reporting in, we are in route back to your location, picked up a straggler along the way, he's going to need medical.”

Hank's voice came over the comm then, laced with pain and something more. “She's coming in too fast, if I tried to stop her at that speed, I could kill her and myself.”

“Understood,” Lucy supplied, looking round the room then back to the screens. “We're working on it.”

“Ma'am, Simmons' is requesting prisoner detainee protocols with medical oversight for the other two-ish individuals Henshaw had already secured when we snagged him.” 

Eliza was the first to action then, moving back towards Alex's lab, needing something to distract her from everything going on before she became completely useless. “Bring Hank straight here, the medical team can focus on the other two that way. I need someone on the lamp beds for K- Supergirl.”

“I'm on it.” The General spoke up, stepping over to help Eliza much to everyone else's surprise. 

“You realize, I could kill you in under two seconds and no one would be the wiser.” Eliza spoke under her breath as she readied the first sunbed, making sure all the monitors were up and calibrated properly. “No military training.”

The General drew in a deep breath as he moved to the second sunbed recently vacated by Superman, following her lead as far as switching machines on but didn't dare move to calibrate them. “I-”

“That's my family out there.” She glanced over at him. “And there is nothing more dangerous, on this planet or the next than a protective mother, General. I'm sure you understand.” He moved out of her way then, allowing her to calibrate the second set of machines.

“Mom!” Carter shouted across the room, racing towards his mother who dropped down and wrapped him up tight. Adam himself didn't even wait for her to stand upright before helping haul Carter up between the pair of them as he hugged his mother tightly. 

“We've been watching the whole thing.” He whispered to her quietly so only she could hear. When they separated after another moment Adam nodded his chin towards Lord at his mother's silent question who continued to focus on the trajectories of the objects descending from the sky. 

“Fort Rozz appears to have been launched with enough force to separate from our orbit and is headed towards the Sun, unless it runs into something else along the way.” Max supplied. 

“And the rest?” Hank broke over Lucy's same question only to have Eliza redirect his path towards the consoles. 

“You really want to help General, use those tin bits on your chest for good measure and get him in here right now.” Lane looked like a lost dog for a half second with Eliza's demand before cutting his eyes over to Henshaw as he was being held up by Leigh.

“Captain, give me a hand and get him in here to the Doctor.” General Lane stepped over, relieving Leigh of his duty, holding up Hank who stumbled forward until he was nearly carried by the two men into Alex's lab for Eliza to handle. 

“I didn't say go anywhere, I said help General.” Eliza said without looking up as Lane started to exit. “Give me the scissors over there and help me get this under control. There are gloves beside the instruments if you need them.”

“Director Lane.” Vasquez held up her comm, handing it over to the woman as she reached for it. 

“Lane, go.” 

“I can't grab Kara and slow Alex down enough to land. They're too far apart and Alex is drifting.” Astra came over her comm clearly and Lucy kept her features schooled, even with the scrutiny of the President baring down on her. 

“Understood. Alter route and skim the pond.” 

Astra flew higher and higher as Lucy's words turned static, already she was doing calculations in her head as she raced towards her niece, given that she wasn't burning up into ash gave her some hope that her powers were still intact to some degree. She'd have to slam into the other woman hard enough to throw her out over the water hoping it didn't kill her and somehow circle back to try and get underneath Alex and level her off. 

“I thought you could use a hand, Aunt Astra!” Kal-El's voice broke past her ears a second before he came along side her, trying to match her speed. 

“Kal-El!” Astra practically did a barrel roll as he grinned at her. “Find Alex! She's in a Kryptonian pod, I've got Kara.” He nodded to her before veering off suddenly and up, leaving a sonic boom in his wake. 

Astra turned back to Kara's current path and sucked in a deep breath before increasing her speed until she impacted with the other woman, dropping hundreds of feet as Kara's velocity outweighed her own before the pair spiraled together out of control.

“Impact eminent.” Lucy spoke before holding her breath.

“Pull up damn it, pull up..” The President cursed under her breath watching all manner of projectiles across the screen. 

Eliza, Lane and Hank came out of the office when the klaxons resounded. Cat and her boys huddled near the railing watching all the monitors as Max worked at the console alongside Vasquez and other DEO agents trying to get people in the immediate area, any area, where their people might show up. 

“Can someone open the door up here and get this thing back inside?” Alex's voice came over the comms, sending the room into a round of cheers as Lucy deployed a retrieval team while Hank shushed at people to calm down. 

“They're in a death spiral, and too far out of control. They're still going to land in the city.” Hank said, moving closer while favoring his side as Eliza held on to his waist to help him. 

“Notify emergency services, try and get the area clear or at least get it prepared for... for I don't know what but something not good.” Lucy spoke, still at a loss for how out of control this had all become.

“There's not enough time!” Max yelled.

Alex came running from around the corner then, out of breath only to be stopped short with the weight of tension in the room. As she looked around she realized Astra wasn't there, that the streak of red and blue she saw beneath her when she was falling back to Earth couldn't have been Kara. With another few steps she saw the drone feeds of Astra and Kara before a brilliant bluish white light blinded the cameras.


	13. All That Glitters

“You're not the only bad-ass in the family.” 

The pair of them laughed, or more Alex laughed while Kara winced through the pain and soreness attached to her body along with her amusement. "How hard did you hit me?" Kara questioned, quietly, flexing various parts of her body and coming up sharply as her receptors reacted Distracted, Alex reached behind her neck then, pulling the necklace Kara had given her in the chaos free. 

“This belongs to you. I think your mother really would have appreciated my piloting skills.” Alex's voice was a rough whisper, as if to speak any louder would shatter the reality that Kara was even alive. 

"Kara I need-"

“C'mere.” She interrupted, fingering the necklace in her grasp, licking her lips in thought as she looked back to Alex.

Alex shifted her weight closer as Kara leaned around her, putting the necklace back in place, fingertips smoothing down the chain until she reached the pendant, holding for another moment before letting it rest over Alex's heart along with her hand. “Kara I can't.” Alex looked down where Kara's hand flexed against the muscle of her chest and when she didn't remove it reached up and curled her fingers around the lines of the other woman's palm. “It's too important.”

“Just like you.” She uttered, blinking away the tears blurring her vision as she took a deep breath, letting the rhythm of Alex's heartbeat bleed into her own body until they were in sync. 

“Kara-”

“When I let go of Fort Rozz,” Kara spoke over Alex, not looking up just yet. “And just let myself be for those few moments while I was still, when-.” She drew in another breath, her exhale coming to her in a short burst as she settled her thoughts. “I thought about you, about this life, as crazy as it is, how you've always pushed me, tried to do what you thought was what I wanted.” 

Alex swallowed, her fingers flexing against Kara's hand where it still lay against her chest, hoping she didn't take anything wrong by the increase in the muscles rhythm beneath. 

“I thought of this life I was never going to get, all these little seemingly insignificant moments that compiled our life-”

“Kara you don't-” 

“Please, Alex.” Kara glanced up at her, crystalline blue eyes trying to convey that she needed to get this out or she never would. Alex bit at the inside of her mouth then, nodding just enough for Kara to register the action as she continued. “Then I thought of all the actual moments we've had together, and apart, and I realized, it wasn't enough. That I didn't want to be done.” She sniffled quietly letting out another weighted breath. “Everyone is going to praise me for being this world saving hero, but when it came down to the last second.” 

Kara struggled with herself, turning her hand over to link it with Alex's own before pulling their joined hands against her own chest. “I wished someone else had flung that thing into space so I could just be with you when it all ended.” 

Alex let the tears she'd been holding back slip past her lashes, her free hand sliding into Kara's hair as she stepped impossibly closer in order to pull her attention back up. “Kara listen to me.” She swallowed the stone in her throat so she could speak without wavering. “That, does not make you any less of a hero. Don't you understand that?” 

Kara shook her head minutely, her eyes searching the space between them until Alex tugged at her to look up. She untangled her hand from Kara's grasp, allowing it to join its twin in order to make the other woman look at her. “It makes you human.” She tried, dipping down enough to where even if Kara lowered her eyes she would still see Alex's face, and the truth of what she was trying to say. “And it makes me fall in love with you that much more.” 

Kara's expression broke with Alex's words and she was immediately wrapped up in the strength of her arms. “I know I'm not worth the world.” Alex murmured into Kara's hair as the other woman clung to her somewhat painfully. “Except to you.”

Alex bent back after a moment, pulling Kara's features up for her to see, brushing away her tears before placing a soft kiss against her forehead causing Kara to let out an audible sigh as she seemed to relax. 

“Alex?” She sniffled, pulling in a deep breath that shook her to her core as the other woman ran her hands through her hair gently in order to keep her settled. The other woman hummed her response, even as Kara slid her legs off the table and trapped Alex's thighs between them. “I need to ask you something.” 

Alex shifted slightly, leaning forward into the table as Kara set her hands loosely on her waist, pulling at the loops her belt was strung through. “Anything.” 

“Do, do you want to go on a date with me? After, all this?”

Alex's smile broke before she could stop it, the laugh behind it rumbling somewhere in her chest against Kara's ear as she wrapped the woman up in her arms again and hugged her close. 

Eliza watched the pair for another moment from across the way, turning her features but not her gaze to the man who stepped up beside her. “Is she going to be alright?” 

“I don't know.” Hank supplied quietly, arm still tucked into his side to ease the stretch of his wounds. “Alex seems rather determined to make sure she is though if her mind is any indication.” 

Eliza looked at him then with a slight frown before lightly punching at his arm. “Stop doing that.” 

Hank over exaggerated his sudden lack of balance, causing the woman to reach out to steady him before he smiled down at her. “You couldn't hurt me if you tried.” He allowed, reading her surface thoughts as they reached him. Eliza was quick to let him go and added a small shove for good measure. 

“You're awful.” 

“Only some of the time.” he replied, causing her to smile in spite of herself until she looked back at Kara and Alex, her expression shifting with their interaction. “They'll both be okay, more than, looking like that at each other.” 

Eliza drew in a deep breath then, arms wrapping around herself as she contemplated the last time she was looked at like that before turning her features away as thoughts of her husband flickered through her mind. 

Hank let out a quiet sigh with her turn of thought and started to reach out to her tentatively until she side stepped closer to him. His arm was around the breadth of her shoulders in the next passing second. She turned her slight frame into him resting her head against his chest while her arms stayed crossed over her own. 

Eliza let out a dark sigh then, looking back to the pair across from them. “Do you really believe he's still alive?”

Hank felt his eyes close, knowing she was going to ask him based on her thoughts before the words even formulated in her throat. “If he is, I have to bring him back.”

Eliza tightened her hold on her biceps, feeling his hand tighten around her shoulder in reassurance. “What if-” 

“I will handle it.” He spoke in the polyphonic tones of his true self to settle her doubts as much as he could without knowing the full extent of what Cadmus could have possibly done to him between then and now. 

Eliza nodded slightly,pushing those thoughts out of the way as her head lifted. “Your daughter is kissing my daughter.” She deadpanned, glancing up to him out of the corner of her eye.

“Suddenly Kara is my daughter?”

Eliza nodded in slow succession, not budging on the subject as she thought 'what are you going to do about it?' at him on purpose. 

Hank made a face at her, letting his eyes flare red before he turned his attention back to the pair. “If Alex hurts her, I know where her mother lives.” He looked back to Eliza. “Though I have a feeling she was raised right so I really don't think I should be worried.” 

“Funny.” Eliza said, keeping the amusement out of her tone on purpose before she turned her head to look down the hall, seeing Cat step out of a more secure room. 

“Is there any response from Astra?” Hank questioned, looking down at the woman still leaning into him just as she shook her head in the negative. 

“I'm not sure any of us would be able to what with being reduced to a human skipping stone. She hit the water hard, took all the impact and still managed to hold onto Kara.”

“Do you think she knows.”

Eliza shook her head in the negative. “Alex was going to tell her.” 

Hank let out a bemused exhale, glancing back to the pair before looking back to Eliza. Whatever he was going to say next was interupted by Max, who knocked on the door frame causing both of them to turn before he thumbed back behind himself. “They're asking for,” he nodded towards the pair opposite all of them. “Supergirl.”

“Thank you.” Max nodded and slipped back into the common area, dropping into his seat beside Vasquez with Hank and Eliza close behind. 

Upon seeing the former director Lucy took it upon herself to quietly radio Alex, wondering what was taking so long. Another few moments passed awkwardly between all those gathered until they caught sight of Supergirl's suit, Alex right at her shoulder and erupted into applause. 

Kara gave a tight lipped smile, while Alex nudged her shoulder before the pair of them were swept up in hugs. Despite her small size Lucy had quite a grip and her quiet thank you against Kara's ear made the Kryptonian smile. Alex was nearly picked up by Hank when he hugged her, their sentiments remaining unspoken as he traded her off for Kara, relishing in the depth of the younger woman's hug at near full strength around his shoulders. 

There was a small commotion behind them and the pair parted only to have Kara straighten and move to stand in at the fore of everyone gathered while Hank took a few steps back towards the command table, preparing himself in the event he was detained. 

The President strode down the main hall, secret service as well as General Lane and his compliment of soldiers behind him following behind until she came to stand in front of Supergirl. She took a moment to look the younger woman over, turning her eyes to those behind her who grew tense both in respect and apprehension. 

An apprehension that seemed to ease when the President smiled and offered Supergirl her hand. Kara mirrored the sentiment, shaking the other woman's hand firmly. “Honor to meet you, uh, ma'am.”

“Not so much as it is mine. I'm indebted to you Supergirl.” She looked around to those gathered before turning her focus back to Kara. “I'm also aware of the remarkable courage J'onn Jones and others displayed here. With that I'm granting him, and Agent Danvers here a full pardon, as well as reinstating you as director of the DEO.” 

Lucy looked over at her father then to the President before lowering her eyes and schooling her expression. Hank turned to her as her thoughts ran rampant before stepping closer and addressing the President directly. “In my absence, Major Lane has performed her duties as director with expertise. Integrity. And if there's one thing I've learned in my life it's that leaders are stronger, together. From now on we're all on the same team. No more secrets. Secrets protect no one, they only undermine what we're striving to accomplish. Peace. Even though we have defeated Non, and Myriad, evil still persists. And whatever danger's we may face, our enemies remain at home, abroad, and in the skies beyond.”

“Couldn't have said it better myself.” She replied, looking around to all those gathered. “Which brings me to my next point. Through some intervention on behalf of Superman, and others who wish to remain nameless, it has been brought to my attention that the work done here within the DEO, along with its goals and intentions is,” she glanced to General Lane as he moved aside. “Stifled, under the arm of the military and direction of a single governing body. With that, the DEO is to be considered an independent global organization, with the hopes of becoming an intergovernmental military alliance operating under its own laws and mandates which have been outlined, but are awaiting final approval from you Director Jones.”

One could have heard a pin drop with the news, it was as if all the air had been sucked out of the room and it was a race to see who would pass out first. 

“For any of you who wish to remain, who are neither civilian or extraterrestrial you will be considered contracted liaisons of the United States government and will retain your status within the varied branches of our military that you are to represent. All others, I leave it in your capable hands to decide what you feel is the best course of action for your own futures. I will extend any job offer in any other organization under my direct oversight should you wish not to remain.” She smirked faintly. “Though I would implore all of you to at least read over the information that will be provided to you within the next forty eight hours with your continued employment here.” 

She set her hands behind her back, taking a look at the faces of those gathered ahead of her one more time before leveling her attention on Supergirl. “This is an incredible opportunity, and I for one, am more than grateful to be the first leader and nation not only to adopt and promote it, but put in a preliminary bid to be the nation that houses this organizations headquarters upon expansion. Once everything gets settled of course.”

Kara stood there for a long moment, unsure of what to do or say as she glanced to the others around her. She licked her lips nervously and puffed her chest up ever so slightly much to Alex's amusement before she offered her hand back to the President. “Thank you, on behalf of everyone here Madam President.” 

The woman in question smiled fully, pulling Supergirl to her, which Kara allowed. in order to hug her which garnered them both an uproar of applause and cheers. 

Save from one Cat Grant, who in her own way allowed the joy of the moment to reach her with a small smile as she remained just out of sight, lingering in the entryway from the medical area before turning and heading back to the secure room that held Astra.


	14. This Too Shall Fade Away

Cat quietly shut the door behind herself, feeling Adam's eyes on her where he stood in the opposite corner, his features distraught but calm, arms crossed tightly over his chest. She barely glanced at him as her focus turned to Carter and she felt the band around her chest tighten enough to make her feel sick.

Carter was beside the bed with Astra, his hands threaded in her hair, careful not to move her too much for fear he would be reprimanded for causing the Kryptonian more injury. His forehead was pressed to hers, eyes open and watching for any minute response as he spoke to her in quiet tones that neither she nor Adam could determine.

She looked away from him to the monitors, as if her sheer will alone could move those baseline readouts. When they remained the same she drew in deep breath and moved away from the door towards Adam. He looked at her again, unsure of what to say or do until she laid a hand on his shoulder. He dropped his arms then, stepping into her and wrapping her up tight enough to make her wince but not relinquish her hold on him.

“Take your brother out, the others are just outside down the hall.” She spoke quietly, no louder than a whisper. “Get him and you something to eat, take time to breathe.”

Adam sniffled against her shoulder, using her strength to compose himself before pressing a kiss to her cheek. “Love you mom.” He whispered before clearing his throat and reluctantly letting her go.

Cat nodded to him, stepping back and straightening her clothes out of habit before she turned to Carter who still had yet to release Astra. She chewed on the inside of her cheek, stepping over to him but not touching him. “Carter.” Her voice was strong despite the emotions threatening to drown her.

Her youngest closed his eyes for the first time, dropping his head slightly followed by his shoulders as he gently eased Astra's head back on the pillow, careful to frame her hair around her as he slid his hands from their depths. He promised he'd be back before stepping away, he looked up to his mom letting out a deep breath when he looked back to Astra as his mother ran her hand through his hair.

“You have to talk with her mom, it's the only way she's going to find us again.”

“Okay baby.” She nodded up at his words in a disjointed manner, looking heavenward and keeping her tears at bay. “Go with your brother for a little bit alright?” Carter nodded before he and Adam slipped out, leaving Cat alone with the Kryptonian again.

Cat dug her fingers into her biceps painfully for lack of anything else to do with them as she stepped into the space her youngest had just vacated. She studied Astra's face in its solemn repose as flashes of their weekend together transposed themselves over her vision. She drew in a deep breath when the sounds of her own heartbeat filled her auditory senses enough to make her head hurt. She edged closer still, reaching out until her fingertips dusted over the apple of Astra's cheek then down towards her mouth before pulling away.

“You're worse than a coward if you quit on me now.” She sat on the edge of the bed frame, careful not to disturb the mattress or the woman on it. “You owe me a very lengthy explanation as to why my son has a better understanding of you when I don't.” Cat bit at her bottom lip, trying to keep her thoughts from drifting too far off the rails as the quiet of the moment, where so much noise had been before, forced her to review every minuscule thought that touched her mind.

“Is it some family motto, some creed you feel you all need to uphold when it comes to sequestering yourselves from anyone who gets within a million mile radius.” Cat flexed her jaw visibly. “Or is it just from me?”

“Supergirl!” Carter shouted, pushing past his and Adam's escort with a small protest from the agent until he flung himself into the woman's arms where she easily caught him. Kara scooped him up, picking him off the ground and hugging him tight until he protested that he couldn't breathe.

“Carter what're you-”

“Astra brought us.” Adam supplied, making Kara nearly drop Carter the rest of the way to the ground from their hug.

“You, you don't.” Kara swallowed feeling Alex step closer while others suddenly found a screen or the floor or another location entirely to be more important than what was unfolding. “Astra is gone. Back to the stars, I .. I sent her-”

“You didn't know?” Carter questioned, squeezing her hand tightly as he lookeed around those still focused on them and as a heavy protective streak fluttered in his chest. Adam looked somewhere between shock and apprehension as everything slowly slipped into place in his mind. He forced in a breath, seeing Kara's expression and the tears welling up in her eyes. Suddenly feeling responsible for the entire situation.

“She saved you.” He breathed out, shifting on his feet as his hands slip into his pockets and curl into fists. “She saved us.” He nodded his chin towards Carter, “and my mom. I'm sorry, I thought, I didn't mean-”

Alex is the first to step up, setting a hand on Kara's shoulder. “Supergirl.” She urged, only to have the appendage shrugged off almost violently as Kara looked at her with enough anger to burn a hole through her. It's such a shock that even Lucy comes to stand beside Alex then, glaring right back down at Kara.

“We need to take this somewhere else.” Lucy tried, a gentle hand wrapping around Alex's arm.

“Did you know?” Kara's tone was furious, so much so that Hank moved closer in case he needed to wrangle the Kryptonian.

Alex shook her head slightly. “I-”

“Did. You. Know/!”

“El-roara” Carter spoke up then, causing Kara's anger to fizzle out completely when she finally looked down at him before he pulled on her hand until she lowered with a stiff reluctance to his eye level. “She called you that.”

Kara drew in a shattered breath, tucking her lips to keep the tremble in them from showing as she nodded to the boy who seemed to stare into her soul before pulling them closer and setting their foreheads together. They remained like that for a long moment even as tears slipped down Kara's cheeks before her hands surrounded his head gently. “Enough.” She whispered hoarsely, clearing her throat and closing her eyes to break their connection. “I want to see her.”

Carter slowly let her go, seeming to settle back down into his twelve year old self in those few moments before stepping back and looking up at Adam. “We're going to get food.” Adam smiled tightly to his brother, hand resting on his shoulder as he glanced to the others apologetically. 

“I'll show you.” Alex wavered pulling out of Lucy's grasp, moving past Kara to Cat's sons and pulling them from the main room. Using the distance from Kara to compose herself. 

Hank moved next, thankful the President had already departed and the General with her. “Director Lane you have the floor.” He spoke, moving over to Kara before offering her a hand up. 

There was a gentle knock at the door, even though Cat didn't answer, Eliza let herself in, quietly sealing the three of them in the medical room together. With a practiced ease she worked to the opposite side of the bed, checking Astra's vitals and drew a set of what looked like lamps from a nearby table. 

“I should get out of your way.” Cat spoke, rubbing a knuckle just under her nose as she began to stand. 

“Don't even think about it.” Eliza spoke without looking at the other woman, fine tuning each lamp with small adjustments before switching them on and with a reverence Cat wasn't sure she had ever seen, situated them underneath Astra's prone body. 

“You seem, out of sorts for.” Cat paused, not sure if she should say anything beyond the built in agency cover. “For someone from this place.”

Eliza let the corner of her mouth lift at Cat's struggle as she adjusted Astra's sheets and tucked them back around her before looking back to the monitors for a change. “I don't work for them, any of them really.”

“But you're important, that's evident from the way Agent Mulder out there carried on at the station before now, not to mention whatever connection you have with his partner and Supergirl.”

“So are you, even if you don't care to admit it.” Eliza offered, glancing to the clock then back to the monitors one last time before turning her full attention back to Cat. “Even if you're still sitting here fishing for answers you haven't been given yet.”

Cat shifted her jaw with a sigh, glancing back to Astra, watching the rise and fall of her chest as a means of staying grounded. Her heart beat, her lungs worked, she was still alive. There was a comfort in that, which for the moment chased away the other more morbid thoughts involving Astra's state. 

“Is it a test?” Cat questioned, turning her eyes up to Eliza after another moment between them, her tone genuine to the human that Cat was, not the media queen.

“It can be. It's also a risk. Once you have the answers, whatever they are, to the questions you've been thinking about, or those you've even asked, they can't ever be taken back. By you or by those supplying the answers.”

“That's rather clandestine don't you think?” 

“Perhaps, but you would know more about that than almost any of the rest of us, Cat.” Eliza checked the monitors one more time, her disappointment evident before turning her eyes on Cat. She studied her openly, as a mother, as a scientist, as a woman in a similar situation albeit with a different outcome than Cat was facing now. “I know you also understand that the absolution of those truths you seek, can only come from the people with which you seek them from.” Cat turned her eyes back to Astra with that. “It's not the place of any of the rest of us, whether we've been given the same answers or not.”

The muscles in Cat's jaw flexed visibly as she clenched her teeth in time with her thoughts, already feeling the repeated action only adding to the headache her emotions were filling her skull with. “May I ask you a question then?”

Eliza rose a brow, giving a small nod before she could think to do otherwise. 

“Is she going to be okay? Like, K-like Supergirl and Superman, she's going to come out of all this, right?”

Eliza felt part of her heart breaking, her shoulder's falling enough for Cat to see and stiffen as a result as she turned her full focus on Astra. “I don't know. They, they are all so resilient, but the latter pair grew up here. She was already an adult, in her prime, so that I don't know.” 

Cat nodded in a disconnected fashion only to startle as the door to the room opened up rather forcefully, causing her to turn and feel her heart break impossibly more at the expression that settled on Kara's face. She closed her eyes from the sight, feeling tears starting the well, which only strengthened as she felt Kara come stand beside her.

“Astra..” Her voice was breathless as she stopped somewhere near Cat.

“Kara, this isn't your fault.” Eliza offered gently, seeing her foster daughter's range of emotions as they swept her up. J'onn looked over at her as they silently communicated with one another, or more Eliza by thought and J'onn with small nods or head shakes.

He leaned closer into the room. “It's mine if anything, when I finally saw you falling-” 

“You don't get to take the blame for everything either.” Kara interrupted him, her hands clenching into fists and relaxing again every few seconds at her sides.

“I was afraid I would kill you, especially being injured. Superman went after Alex, you were falling towards the heart of the city so fast.”

“She called me her daughter.” Kara let out under her breath and felt one of her hands taken up, causing her to look down at it confused when she saw who it belonged to. Cat squeezed tightly, turning her knuckles white with her effort as she straightened where she sat.

“What's done is done.” She spoke surprisingly well, as if she were addressing the board of directors back at CatCo. “We can't change what's happened we can only move forward and right now.” Cat looked up at Kara even if she was addressing the other two. “She deserves the answers about her direct living family.” 

Kara squeezed back the hand holding her own and when she felt Cat start to pull away as she stood Kara only tightened her grip and pulled the older woman closer, giving a small shake of her head. “I, don't, I don't want you to leave.” The pair stared at one another for a bit, until Kara bit at her mouth upon tucking her lips inward with the sudden thought that struck her. “Unless,” she swallowed and shifted out of her own nervousness of assuming on Cat's behalf. “You, I know Carter and Adam are here, if you don't want to stay-”

Cat shook her head, halting the younger woman's words. “I want to but I have no right to outside of my own selfishness.” She pulled in a deep breath, squeezing Kara's hand again. “And I don't want you to feel you have to do all this alone. This isn't about you being Supergirl, this about you being Astra's-.”

“Daughter.” Eliza supplied, causing the others to look up at her surprised, especially Kara. 

“Eliza, you-” Kara protested.

The woman held up her hand and shook her head with a faint smile. “I know. It's okay. I love you, so much. And in that I understand, more than you know.”

Kara nodded firmly, feeling Cat wrap her other hand around her arm in solidarity. “So tell me, how, what all is-”

“Astra broke her spine.” Eliza pulled no punches, never had, never would, and watched Kara struggle to keep not only herself but Cat upright. The media queen was eased back on to the bed, still half wrapped around Kara's arm while Kara herself felt numb. “And suffered multiple internal injuries as a result of her impact. Were she anything other than a Kryptonian, she wouldn't even be in the state she's in.”

“Is she healing?” Kara spoke around the shards of Kryptonite in her throat, looking only at the woman with her mother's face.

“We can't tell honestly. Nor do we know if her powers failed completely after that first hit, or subsequently thereafter.” Eliza looked to the monitors again. “They're not registering now.”

Kara nodded slowly, tears burning her vision as she pushed out the symbol on her suit, attempting to draw strength from her family crest and her position concerning it. “W-what else?”

J'onn set his hands on his hips, edging closer to Eliza as she continued to layout the extent of Astra's injuries, that she hadn't been at full power, and a myriad of other things while Kara stood there and took it, Cat roping her grip along her arm but not once breaking down.

\-------

Alex paced slowly back and forth in the cafeteria, quietly talking to herself here and there while gesticulating at other times completely oblivious to the other two sitting at a table.

“She's going to wear a hole in the floor.” Adam murmured, as Carter stuffed his second round of food into his mouth. His older brother was equally surprised by that but chalked it up to the adrenaline and stress of everything.

Cart nodded around a swallow, taking a sip of his drink before forking another bite. “She's really worried.”

“Yeah but why? I mean I know she's important to some of the people here, that was obvious a bit ago but that's..”

“She's upset too, sad, and afraid.” Carter spoke around his food absently, taking another bite just behind it. 

“How do you know?”

“I can see it.” He replied as if everyone could, what he didn't expand upon were the faint bits of color that beat through Alex's body and colored her veins underneath her skin when he focused on her long enough. 

Adam stared at his brother for a long moment, his brow furrowing as he took his brothers words into consideration. He had always been a special kid, particular in his tactile interactions and at times, Adam noted, when he took in the world around them when the two of them had been out anywhere or spent time with the other parts of their family. He also noted, in the back of his mind, all the little quirks that made his younger brother appear antisocial or introverted, disappeared completely when he was around Astra, and notably around those he had encountered in this facility. 

He reached for his drink, using it to swallow his food as well as his rampant thoughts as his brother put away another tray. 

“You want anything?” Carter asked as he stood with his empty tray. When Adam shook his head in the negative Carter stepped away and went back to the line, and true to form became somewhat insular with his simple interactions with the man behind the food line making sure Carter got his fill, even if it was his third time through. 

His attention shifted with Carter's who turned and looked at the entry to the cafeteria a few seconds before Supergirl came walking through it. Her entire body was tense, fists at her sides and her face looked like it was scrubbed raw and she didn't stop in that stride, her boots striking the floor in a dull staccato. Carter rejoined him silently, slipping into his chair and watching the hero as she stalked the room. 

Alex turned, her own form stiff and her expression apprehensive as she wrapped her hands around her lower back and held onto herself tightly, fully expecting Kara to lay into her as she was clearly her intended target. She pulled a breath inward, fearful the strength of her voice would fail what with the stones in her throat threatening to choke her. She barely got the woman's name out before Kara slammed into her. 

Strong arms were around her slender frame instantly, surrounding her ribs and forcing Alex back a few steps from the force alone. She held fast to Kara's suit, knowing she would be kept upright by the other woman despite her earlier irascibility. Kara's body felt like it was a second from snapping in half and with a firm stance to hold them both, she tightened her grasp on Alex in a full bodied hug. 

She felt Kara's chest cave and Alex filtered her fingers in Kara's hair when she buried her face into her shoulder with a broken apology and a choked sob. Alex was quick to soothe the other woman with quiet promises and simple reassurances hugging her back firmly even if her feet barely brushed the ground. 

“Get your tray.” Adam said quietly causing Carter to look over at him for the first time since Kara had entered the cafeteria. Making sure not to make any noise Adam discarded his own tray and waited for his brother, casting a look towards Alex and Supergirl, the former of the two giving him a hybrid of apology and appreciation with her look before she tuned back into the woman who refused to put her down. He nodded, unseen or not it didn't matter, before setting a hand to Carter's upper back, meeting another agent just outside before asking to be taken back to their mother.


	15. Calculated Artificiality

Cat took a deep breath, settling into her chair alone in her office. She glanced up towards her assistant's desk and questioned for just a moment if she would actually be able to let her go so completely. Two years was a long time for anything, especially for Cat as far as personal relationships went. Jenn had been a fluke, and with it they had plenty of years apart between them after college. As she glanced over again, the woman's name lost in her chest knowing that Kara was probably still bouncing around her new office if she hadn't already invited the hobbit and her super pal Olsen to check it out as well. 

Cat knew full well she had to let Kara go, to thrive in her element, and after her suspicions being practically confirmed but not spoken directly to her, she refused to allow Supergirl to be her subservient during the day. Especially since Cat had 'turned over a new leaf' what all with the last incident and allowed Kara to take care of Carter outside of the office while Cat secluded herself away. 

The phone on her desk rang, pulling her from her thoughts, she glanced at her watch recognizing the time before reaching over and answering it herself. No sooner had she said hello did Kara come rushing through the office floor headed straight for her office. It was almost comical if the reason behind her rush didn't add to Cat's growing infelicity.

“Hello Eliza.” Cat offered gently, causing Kara to pull up short as she broke through the glass doors apologizing quietly for not being at the desk to answer. “She isn't, no. My assistant is on a break,” Cat looked up at Kara knowingly, while a voice somewhere in the back of her mind continued to question just how much longer they were going to dance around this. “Something about supplies and personal touches needing to be added to one of the offices down the hall.” 

Kara looked surprised, remaining where she was for another moment until Cat pulled her favorite Mont Blanc pen from its place on her desk and scrawled out a quick set of notes on a piece of paper before handing it up to the woman. When she finally retrieved the note Cat waved her off and spun around in her chair, dismissing Kara with the action. 

“I can't imagine you spending all your time in that place is what you've intended Eliza, is Agent Scully not capable?”

Kara worked her mouth around a frown of confusion, slipping quietly out of Cat's office as the woman conversed with her foster mother. She really just needed to move beyond this absurd idea of Kara not being Supergirl and her connection to Eliza and everyone else that Cat had been exposed to but for whatever reason she still felt herself holding back every time she tried to come clean. For her, she had set some impossible goal that when the time came to tell Cat, it would just happen. All the words and connections and admissions and truths would just flow out of her without hesitation.

With a heavy sigh she finally took the time to look down at the note Cat had written for her. Given the hour she had assumed it was her lunch order for the day and perhaps some other instructions. She was still Cat's assistant until she could find a replacement. When she saw what was actually written, she fumbled the paper loudly until it became airborne and chased it all the way to the floor just to reread it.

“Kara, stop by accounting. They have the forms you need to utilize the funds I appropriated for you for your new office. Consider it a bonus incentive to find your replacement, and to get you thinking about your new job instead of worrying about filling that space. -Cat”

When Kara looked back into Cat's office the chair back was still turned to her and she knew she was still on the phone with Eliza. She looked back to the note, then up again then back to the note until the phone on her soon to be old desk rang. She blinked at the handwritten words before suddenly coming back into herself and grabbing the phone. 

“Cat Grant's office, Kara speak- y-yes. I, if that's not, yes reroute the calls to, once I get a phone, right. Same set up? I guess? I'm not, right uhm, can we just do a basic office set up then, or whatever Ms. Grant had, she did. Of course.” Kara looked around the office floor, then back to Cat's before looking heavenward and wondered if this was really her life. “Oh, okay tell, yes tell accounting I'll be there in a second. Mmhmm, nope I'm, I've got to run an errand. Yup. Okay. Thanks, bye.” The receiver clattered back onto the phone base and Kara just stood for the longest moment until a beep in her ear yanked her immediately to the here and now. 

“Alex?”

“Get a move on Supergirl, looks like we have another straggler from the DEO breech that just had to get their hands dirty.” 

“Oh-okay, yeah let me, be right there.” She murmured, folding her note and already crossing through the building. “Quick stop then I'm out.” 

“Kara?” Alex's voice was hushed suddenly, indicating she had stepped away from the others as they talked. “Are you alright what's-”

“I'm fine, fine just.” Kara took in another deep breath as the elevator doors closed and she punched the floor for accounting. “I'll tell you later. Which way am I headed?”

Cat leaned heavily back in her chair as she listened to Eliza relay the same information she'd been relaying to her day after day after day since Kara had launched Fort Rozz into space. “So no real change then. And she hasn't woken up.” 

Eliza could almost hear the resignation in Cat's tone and let out a sigh to counter it. “These things they take time Cat, there isn't an exact science to them even with humans, much less someone who's essentially a photoheterotroph.”

“A what?”

“She's like a solar panel, only a biological one.” 

Cat thought about that for a minute or two, chewing on her bottom lip in the process until a breaking news update splashed across all her screens, revealing Supergirl engaged in some kind of street battle with a rather reptilian looking creature twice her size. “Send the usual agent to pick me up again.”

“You know they do have actual jobs beyond playing chauffeur to you Cat.” 

“Yes, but they won't allow me to use my own transportation services so what would you expect me to do in the meantime?” She winced watching Kara get flung halfway across a city block and into a concrete wall. 

“Go home, I told you before, I would call you or just send someone to get you if she showed signs of improvement.” 

Cat watched Supergirl pick herself back up and square herself off before unleashing a blast of frigid air at the creature. “Smart girl.” She thought, seeing the creature sputter and hiss, its momentum stunted as the city's hero rushed the creature and slammed it into the ground. 

“Which isn't happening Eliza, so just send the usual transport or let someone there know to do so.” She hung up the phone without saying goodbye and leaned back into her chair watching the action unfold on her own news feed as the DEO vehicles she knew so well now surrounded the location and secured the area. 

Kara herself actually came around the circle of nondescript vehicles and mugged for the camera before leaping up into the air and disappearing into the clouds above. Cat glanced to her watch for the time, marking it down in her planner like she had been doing for months, before going back to some semblance of work.

For once it was actually a few hours before Kara showed up at her desk again, not looking nearly as flustered as she typically was whenever returning from her excursions in the middle of the day as Supergirl. Cat actually allowed herself to smirk at the notion, watching from behind the rims of her glasses as the younger woman gathered items from inside her desk and began filling the same box Cat had brought her earlier. 

Making another note of the time from when she first saw Kara in her planner she stood, pulling her glasses off her face and dropping them to her desk. “Kara.” She spoke at her standard volume, watching the woman startle slightly before turning to look at Cat who was already headed towards her balcony. 

Cat leaned against the railing, looking out over the city as it began to wind down from the working day and transition into the evening as Kara came up behind her. “Yes Ms. Grant?”

“Enjoy your late lunch break?” Cat offered somewhat flippantly, already hearing the younger woman flounder about how she had been taken aback by Cat's note, but didn't want to appear ungrateful or lacking in initiative and had followed through with going to various stores to better supply her office until Cat looked over at her. With the pointed stare Kara quickly hushed, and shifted her shoulders with a faint wince.

“It was rhetorical Kara.” She spoke after another uncomfortable turn of seconds before looking back over the city. “I need you to watch Carter again tonight.” 

Kara frowned, not that she hadn't enjoyed the time she'd been spending with him, although she was starting to think that Alex was his favorite. In some odd twist, ever since Adam had left a week after the events of Myriad, the three of them had become rather adept at playing house. Although in the back of Kara's mind it had really begun to worry her when the frequency of Carter's presence went from a couple nights out of a week to now, where Carter basically lived with her. Unless she stayed at the penthouse. Even then, it still felt like she was part of some joint custody agreement and in this last week Carter had made it a point to talk to her about how worried he was getting, and how much he actually missed his mom. 

“I, I'm not so sure I can.” She lied, poorly, and the cut of Cat's eyes towards her let her know that her boss was aware of her beginning deception. “It's Friday, and with my new, the thing you, I called Alex and I uhm, I have a date.” 

Cat's brow rose higher and higher as Kara fumbled through her excuse, and really she had no right to continue to ensure her son's well-being while she practically lived at the DEO headquarters. It had been a fleeting occurrence, a couple times a week, hoping and praying Astra would recover or open her eyes. Somewhere between then and now it had become an every day occurrence, setting and rising with the agency's artificial sun system Eliza had provided her so she wouldn't disrupt her circadian rhythm anymore than she already was capable of. 

Cat had somehow convinced herself that should Astra wake up, she wanted to be the first person she saw. Granted their time, albeit one sided, wasn't spent in silence. Cat spoke to her, told her about her day, her family, Kara's reckless adventures and when that was exhausted, she read to her from classics to contemporary until she fell asleep in the reclining chair that Eliza had also seen fit to provide her despite Hank's protests. 

It wasn't fair for Kara, or Carter especially with what she was doing. Cat drew in a deep breath, noticing all too late that Kara had invaded her space and was currently looking her over with mild concern. She turned her gaze back to the younger woman who held it before blinking and turning to look over the balcony herself. 

“I'm sure Carter can come along.” Kara acquiesced with a hint of reluctance and something else that set Cat's teeth on edge. 

“How about a compromise then.” Cat allowed looking back to the city. “You leave now, get him from school, it's still early enough. Take him home, and bring whatever change of clothes you need for your date tonight, and I promise you Kara, I'll be there before you're even done getting ready.” 

Kara seemed to stutter, looking at the space in front of her in a confused fashion as if she hadn't heard right. Cat never made a promises, at least not without the threat of firing someone to get her point across. Kara chanced a look over at the woman again, now was as good a time as any to tell her. In fact it might actually add a more positive point to her day. She turned towards the woman again, even when Cat didn't look at her and squared her shoulders. 

“Ms. Grant, there's something I-” Her voice was cut off by the shrill ring of the phone on her boss' desk. When she looked back from the distraction Cat was looking at her again, posture straightened. “I've been meaning.” The phone rang again just as Kara was reaching for her glasses. “I should have-” Winn was spotted just out of Kara's periphery, while Cat never once turned her eyes away from her soon to be former assistant. 

“Sorry, sorry, Ms. Grant security just called, they say your car's here.” Winn looked sheepish, glancing between the two women and the tension knotting the pair of them together and wishing he was anywhere but at the mouth of Cat's balcony. 

Kara felt her resolve crumble when Cat finally looked away from her, regarding Winn with a sense of despondency before nodding. “Thank you Witt, tell them I'll be right down.” He nodded quickly, looking at Kara one last time with a slight frown as she dropped her hand and slipped back into the office center. 

Kara let out an audible sigh through her nose, pulling Cat's attention before she ran a hand through her hair. “Do you agree to the compromise?” 

The younger woman flexed the muscles in her jaw, while her brain shouted at her just to say it, blurt it, jump off the ledge and prove it and instead she nodded. “Yes Ms. Grant. Thank you, I'll, I'll see you later tonight then.” 

Cat nodded and tracked the woman as she vacated her office and shortly thereafter the main office floor while Cat gathered her own things and made her way to her elevator.

\-------

Eliza made short work of Astra's vitals, noting them in her chart before hanging it back by the door and turning to look at the woman still prone and unresponsive to their current round of sunlamps and various other treatments Alex and her had attempted to apply. She glanced to the clock, knowing the woman would have company within the next few minutes and made her way over to the Kryptonian. 

“I know you're in there, somewhere. Even Kara has said you're responding at least on her spectrum however faintly.” She took a seat beside the woman, reaching for her hand which was cold to the touch. “There are a lot of people who are waiting for you, and all they need is a little ounce of hope.” She squeezed the woman's hand firmly. “So stop being so stubborn and give Cat a little something, before she loses herself right along with you.” 

Hank cleared his throat behind her, causing Eliza to jump slightly. She squeezed the woman's hand one more time before pushing to a stand looking at the martian underneath his human facade. “What?”

He shook his head slightly, the corner of his mouth barely lifting with his amusement. “I think that stubbornness is a family trait.” 

Eliza sighed and stepped closer, her arms crossing over her chest. “Yes well, I could have told you that.” 

“I meant that in regards to your family.” He clarified, his smile showing even as she nudged him out of her way with her shoulder as she made for the command center in search of Alex. Hank was right behind her, easily catching up with her stride. “Are you sure you don't want to reconsider? We could use you and what you know-”

“Which is exactly why I'm saying no J'onn, I've already done all this, worked hard, lost enough in the process.” She continued on, seeing Alex and making her way to her. “I'll consult for you, only when you are done exhausting her.” 

“Exhausting me what?” Alex piped up, watching the pair approach before Hank veered off in another direction to converse with Lane. 

“J'onn wants me to sign up for active duty.” Eliza joked, looking over her daughter with a critical eye. “Told him he could call me when your brain has fizzled out.” 

“Mom, you know just as much as I do, I learned from you.” 

“Yes, and you've been doing this, here, longer. I'll just consider it another reason for you to call me more.” She said with a smile causing Alex to let out a breath in mild frustration. “What's going on?” 

Alex rose a brow at her mother. “With?” 

“You.” Eliza gestured to her posture and her inability to stand still. 

“Nothing.” 

“Alexandra.” 

“Mom.” Alex stressed, stepping closer. “Okay , geeze remind me to thank you for not signing up, the last thing I need is you parent shaming me in front of everyone I work with.” 

“So, there is something going on.” Eliza pressed, hiding her smile as Alex rolled her eyes. 

“Kara should be the one to tell you really.” 

“Tell me what?” 

Alex let out an exacerbated sigh and actually attempted to glare at her mother. “I'm taking her out tonight.” She hesitated slightly when Eliza rose her brow at her. “Okay, stop looking at me like that, something good happened at work and I wanted her to be able to celebrate it. I know her friends are going to do something too but it's Friday night and-”

“Neither of you have had a break after everything what with playing surrogate parents in the mean time.” 

Alex schooled her expression, that subject was a touchy one, on a lot of fronts. Alex had complied initially when she had tried to surprise Kara with impromptu dates or movie nights at her apartment only to find Carter there, or Kara heading straight to Cat's penthouse so she could take care of the kid. 

It wasn't until a couple of weeks ago that Kara had made it a point, once Carter was asleep, to pull her aside and reassure her that they were still something, fledgling and new and worthy of her attention but that this thing with Carter and Cat was something she had to do. What Alex hadn't expected was Kara's persuasiveness to get Alex to join the two of them one night. A night that turned into a few nights, that turned into weeks. 

Alex did honestly, despite her initial misgivings about ever having a child of her own, find some kind of joy with the domesticity of it all. In the time they had worked up to every night and some weekends their little group had developed a rather familial rhythm. Then again with all of that, and Kara's job both at CatCo and as Supergirl, along with her own devotion to the DEO and its complete restructuring, not to mention how much Hank was relying upon her to set up the majority of their new opportunity, it left little time for anything else. 

She had, as soon as Kara told her about her promotion, she knew exactly what she wanted to do and where to go and if they were lucky, they wouldn't be surrogate parents tonight. That was until Kara had called her a little under an hour ago, letting her know that while Cat had proposed a compromise she had fully expected the plans she'd already set in motion to be canceled. 

Alex shifted her stance, crossing her arms over her chest almost defensively at the fact her mother could read her so well. “Right, and Kara called a little bit ago and while she said Cat compromised to some degree, she still has Carter right now. Which, don't get me wrong I, really like the kid.” Alex smiled in spite of the situation. “He's so smart, and I think Kara is getting jealous cause I think I'm his favorite but, I just...”

“You wanted time with the person you're invested in the start of a relationship with.” 

Alex nodded, shrugging her shoulders. “It's okay, I mean it's not really, but I'll get past it, but all those little things that made up you and Dad before, before me, we're not getting that. I mean if it wasn't for Kara I wouldn't even be a part of it I think, resistant as I can be as you know.” Eliza smiled, watching her daughter with a veiled sense of pride. “And again there are times when I couldn't see myself anywhere else, especially watching Kara with him, but I didn't think I'd be fulfilling another trope as far as my relationship track record goes.” 

Eliza drew in a deep breath, setting a hand on her daughter's shoulder. “I much prefer this one to any of the others you had to get out of your system before now.” Her words made Alex at least smirk before she seemed to relax a bit with a reassuring squeeze from her mother's touch. “Listen, I'll talk to Cat, I'll even offer to take care of Carter tonight if you want but really, she needs to be more productive and that includes being more considerate of those who are dependent on her, like Carter.” 

Alex appeared distracted for a moment, her eyes shifting over her mother's shoulder before her body seemed to stiffen a bit causing Eliza to turn, the pair of them coming face to face with Cat. 

“Ms. Grant.” Alex supplied after a tense second, watching the woman shift her stance to her opposite hip, while Eliza stayed mostly between the pair of them. 

“Scully,” she said tersely, “Scully's mom.” 

“Cat.”

The woman in question shook her head at Eliza, her eyes shifting between the pair of them as the three of them stood there waiting for the other to relent. Even Hank turned to observe the three when Eliza's voice bombarded his mind only to find all three women's surface thoughts running rampant towards him. 

Lane continued on with whatever report she was giving about the prisoner they had secured from earlier and when Hank didn't respond she followed his gaze and straightened. “I know that look.” She said quietly, tucking the tablet against her chest and crossing her arms around it. 

Hank glanced at her sidelong before looking back to the trio. “So do I.” The pair glanced to one another, sharing in the truth of their statements before playing observationalists with the Grant and Danvers women. “Should we-” Hank started and Lucy just shook her head side to side without looking away. 

Cat drew in a sharp breath through her nose, not dropping her gaze from either woman as she lifted her chin. “You're going to move Astra.” 

“Say that again?” Eliza countered and finally Alex glanced over to Hank and Lucy before signaling they make their way over with a slight tip of her head. 

“You're going to move Astra.” 

“It's dangerous to move her.” Hank supplied in his rich baritone as he caught the repeat of Cat's statement, or more demand at this moment. Lucy as well seemed visibly opposed to the idea given her expression and quick defense to Hank's statement. 

“She has a spinal injury and is essentially in a coma Ms. Grant.” She held her ground even when Cat's eyes cut to her. “We've barely moved her out of the room she's in for fear we're going to do any more damage.” 

“What you're doing isn't working. All this calculated artificiality isn't doing her any favors.” She looked back to Eliza. “You said it yourself she's photohetrovoltaic, like a solar panel. Even I know that a solar panel, even the newest ones don't work as well under artificial light or low light. They get some power but it's nothing compared to actual tangible sunlight. She hasn't had that since, since before.” 

Eliza had to admit she had a point, but could easily tell with Hank and Lucy's demeanor this was not an option available to anyone. 

“Where exactly do you propose to move her then?” Hank questioned, his hands settling on his hips in his typical fashion. 

“My penthouse.” 

“Absolutely not.” Lucy's words were pointed, and she even had to take a moment to realize she was standing up to her former boss. 

Cat raised a brow at Lucy, turning her gaze full force onto the woman, Eliza noted no matter what they intended, Cat was not going to leave here without Astra. “And why is that, Major Lane?” 

Lucy tried not to flinch when Cat spoke around her rank, squaring her shoulders before stepping closer. “It's too much of a liability, there's no way to monitor her from here, you're not medically trained in anything save basic first aid and last I was aware still ran this city like the media queen you are. Now I don't think you would ever exploit something like that, but others might. People trying to get a scoop on you and somehow get a picture or something of Astra.”

Hank nodded, taking into consideration the same principles he had with Kara initially concerning making Cat aware of who she was. “Lane's right. Not to mention should she wake up, we won't know what state of mind she's even in. She could hurt you, or your son or herself even. What about when you're not home? How would you explain it to your son or anyone else who just happened by?”

Cat took the brunt of their statements, knowing they were probably right, but she felt, something deep down told her this was something she had to do for Astra. She swallowed visibly, her features becoming stoic, which for Lucy almost made her take a step back with what she knew was coming. 

“Let her do it.” 

Hank, Lucy, Eliza and Cat all turned to look at Alex who continued to study Cat as whatever maelstrom that was about to come out of her mouth died away in her chest. She saw the woman's eyes gloss over just slightly before she looked to Hank and Lucy. “We can stabilize Astra for transport, there are ways to monitor her stats from here, if we had to” Alex gestured to Eliza. “She could check up on her during the day, we know Supergirl can be there in a blink if something wrong happens.” Alex set her shoulders back, looking at Cat one more time before looking at the others. 

“It can't do any more damage than is already done, and if Ms. Grant is willing to sign a specific set of papers about disclosure and other things, let her do it.” 

Hank and Lucy looked at her like she'd lost her mind, while Cat actually edged closer to her. What the rest of them hadn't expected was Eliza to speak up again. 

“It's something to try.” Hank looked at her pointedly, his expression dark while Lucy let out a small gruff of a sound. “Look, I'll be the first to tell you sometimes, yes, ideas like that are too dangerous and risky. Which is not to say this isn't, but it's been weeks, even Superman is out of ideas for what to do. Maybe Cat's right, real sunlight would be the best thing, in an environment that's not so riddled with negative memories and impact.” 

Hank and Lucy looked at one another again, then back to the three woman looking back. Hank could hear Eliza already arguing a point, that if they didn't do something Astra's body was eventually going to wither away and she may as well be as good as dead. Cat was a sharp jumble of thoughts all focused on just one thing changing to benefit all of them. While Alex was running complex calculations in her mind to keep him out. 

Lucy shook her head slightly, looking between the three even without the luxury of reading minds she could read faces and tightened her hold on her tablet. “I don't like it.” She started, looking back to Hank then Cat. “But I'll draw up papers, if you give the go-ahead Sir.” 

Hank let out another sigh, flexing his hands around his hips, leveling his gaze on Alex and Eliza. “Get her prepped then, and set up whatever you need to here -and- at the Grant house. No exceptions.” He looked at Cat directly on that one. “I don't want any surprises if I agree to this.” 

Cat swallowed visibly, blinking once to push the tears back into her eyes. “Thank you.” Her voice barely broke through the thickness of emotion in her throat, to which she quickly cleared it. Hank nodded, while Lucy moved away to get to work on the paperwork and legality of this new aspect.

“Don't make me regret this Ms. Grant, I know what you're capable of, trust me on that. But you have yet to see the full extent of what I am.” Hank allowed, glancing back up to Eliza before turning away. 

Eliza was the first to move after that. “I'll go get her prepped.” While Alex moved to follow. “I'll help.” That was until Cat reached for her, halting her actions with a hand on her bicep. “In, uh, in a minute.” Eliza nodded and glanced to Cat before continuing towards Astra's room. 

“What is it?” Alex asked, looking to the hand that still hadn't released her before looking back up to Cat. 

“I thought you would have said no. Why?” 

Alex reached over and covered Cat's hand, squeezing gently before shrugging. “I know I'd want the same thing. And no one would keep me from it.” She allowed with a sharp conviction causing Cat to stammer an inward breath before nodding. She let go of Alex then, only to fish into her purse.

“I know you're going to help set things up,” she started, pulling out a card sheathed in a black case before handing it over to Alex. “This is for after, with, with Kara. I know you have a date tonight.” 

Alex looked shocked, and refused to take the object. “Ms. Grant I can't, it's not, it's okay, I-” 

“Please. Alexandra, I've been, I've been a lot lately. The least of which you and her should have paid for.” She took Alex's hand, pushing the card into her palm and closing her fingers around it. “Take this, give it to Kara to bring back on Monday, okay? No arguing.” She threatened in her best mom tone. 

Alex stood dumbstruck, looking to her palm then back up before reaching over and hugging the smaller woman who stiffened just slightly before Alex stepped back. “Sorry, I just, thank you.” 

Cat shook her head. “Thank you, for this, even if-”

“Nope. We're not going there Ms. Grant. Okay? I'm going to set up as much as I can without being invasive to your home, and we're going to figure this out.”

Cat nodded and let out a breath she didn't know she was even holding. “Thank you, and Alex?” The woman paused again waiting for Cat to continue. “I know working here you're probably well versed in being prepared, Kara's getting ready at my place, you're welcome to do the same and leave from there.” 

Alex nodded a few times, before thumbing towards where her mother had disappeared to. “Let's work on her first.”


End file.
